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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bound — certain
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mate — a friend
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stand — to bear
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. lean — thin
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. board — to get on
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bound — tied together
  17. board — a committee
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bound — obliged
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wound — an injury

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