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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: content · bass · craft · wind · bat · stand · ruler · track

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. track — a path
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. content — happy
  11. craft — boats
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. content — the amount
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bat — the animal
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. track — a song
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — low music

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