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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. court — of law
  5. current — of water
  6. lean — thin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. board — a committee
  9. current — electric
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. board — to get on
  16. current — happening now
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. can — a tin
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. band — a ring
  23. lean — to bend
  24. band — a music group

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