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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stand — to bear
  6. firm — decided
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. can — to be able to
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. hand — in cards
  17. can — a tin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. hand — help
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bound — certain
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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