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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 116 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: stand · pound · snap · wave · bound · stem · suit · bass

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bass — the fish
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bound — certain
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stand — to bear
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bass — low music
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. snap — to click
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stem — to come from
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bound — tied together

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