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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: bass · hand · file · stand · bore · pit · lean · suit

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bore — to tire
  3. suit — clothes
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. file — a tool
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pit — a hole
  12. hand — help
  13. pit — in a race
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. file — a line of people
  18. file — a document
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bass — low music
  22. hand — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bass — the fish

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