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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bound — certain
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. board — to get on
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pass — a permit
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. mug — a face
  16. land — a country
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. kick — in football
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bound — tied together

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