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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bound — tied together
  8. hand — in cards
  9. board — to get on
  10. rest — what's left
  11. firm — decided
  12. drill — a practice
  13. hand — help
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — a committee
  18. drill — army training
  19. pass — a permit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. firm — a company
  24. rest — a break

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