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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: plane · chip · stand · march · hide · bank · bass · firm

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. bank — of a river
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. firm — decided
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. march — the month
  13. bank — for money
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. march — the month
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bank — for money
  23. chip — for betting
  24. hide — to keep secret

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