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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: saw · rush · season · face · can · stand · bass · march

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. march — music
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. face — to point toward
  6. can — a tin
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. face — part of the head
  9. march — the month
  10. rush — hurry
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. face — to confront
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — low music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. march — the month
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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