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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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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stand — to bear
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. board — a committee
  7. bound — certain
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bound — obliged
  10. field — farmland
  11. firm — steady
  12. field — a subject
  13. tear — to rip
  14. firm — decided
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. tear — from crying
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. field — for sport
  19. vault — a safe
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. board — to get on
  22. firm — a company
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bound — tied together

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