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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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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: stand · race · pop · board · march · cap · firm · rock

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. 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. cap — a lid
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. race — the arms race
  6. march — the month
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rock — a stone
  9. firm — a company
  10. cap — of ice
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. march — music
  14. board — to get on
  15. race — humankind
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rock — music
  20. race — a contest
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. board — a committee
  23. march — the month
  24. 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