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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. capital — a city
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — to bear
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. chair — a leader
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bound — tied together
  16. season — in sport
  17. capital — money
  18. season — of the year
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hand — help
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. stand — for spectators

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