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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stand — to bear
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bound — certain
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rule — government
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. tube — the underground
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. rule — a law
  23. tube — a container
  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