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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: stand · foot · bass · fan · nail · ball · pitch · squash

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitch — completely
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. ball — a dance
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bass — the fish
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bass — low music
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stand — to bear

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