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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: hide · mug · deal · row · fine · pit · stand · bass

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mug — a cup
  3. stand — to bear
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bass — the fish
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fine — all right
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mug — to rob
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. row — a line
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mug — a face
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bass — low music
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. hide — animal skin

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