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

Word bank: bark · stick · bound · present · stand · rule

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bound — certain
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bound — tied together
  6. present — the time now
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. rule — government
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. rule — a law
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. present — there
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. present — a gift

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