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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 · bass · nail · content · board · date · fall · branch

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. date — the fruit
  3. branch — a division
  4. stand — to bear
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. fall — to drop
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. content — the amount
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. board — a committee
  16. fall — the season
  17. board — to get on
  18. bass — the fish
  19. fall — to drop
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. content — happy

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