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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. capital — a city
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stand — to bear
  13. tube — a container
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. tube — the underground
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. present — the time now
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. capital — money
  24. bound — certain

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