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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.

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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: rash · pit · court · bass · object · stand · rule · perch

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rule — government
  6. object — an aim
  7. bass — low music
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. court — of law
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rule — a law
  14. court — for sport
  15. object — a thing
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. court — of a king
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stand — to bear
  22. perch — the fish
  23. object — to protest
  24. rash — a series

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