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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 112 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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bound · stand · spring · pop · rush · board

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. spring — a coil
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pop — soda
  11. spring — the season
  12. board — a committee
  13. bound — tied together
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. spring — of water
  18. pop — music

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