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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 124 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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bound — certain
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stand — to bear
  5. land — to come down
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. band — a music group
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bound — obliged
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. land — a country
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. suit — in cards
  18. land — ground
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. kick — in football
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bound — tied together
  24. band — a ring

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