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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 120 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. board — a committee
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. race — a contest
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. board — to get on
  17. wound — an injury
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. mouse — for a computer

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