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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 120 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.

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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: bass · wax · suit · cue · wind · stand · rock · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ground — crushed
  5. cue — a hint
  6. ground — a position
  7. bass — low music
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rock — music
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cue — a signal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wax — in the ear

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