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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.

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: net · wave · mark · bay · pop · chair · mine · stand

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mine — for digging
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pop — soda
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. chair — a leader
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pop — music
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. net — after costs
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. net — for catching
  24. pop — to visit

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