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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: court · bulb · board · present · march · stand · ruler · mine

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bulb — for light
  9. present — the time now
  10. march — the month
  11. board — a committee
  12. court — of law
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mine — for digging
  24. board — to get on

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