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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · bear · bass · stock · straw · ruler · leaves · stand

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stock — shares
  9. bear — the animal
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stock — goods
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com