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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 116 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: game · bound · craft · tube · firm · stand · leaves · pit

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bound — certain
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. firm — a company
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. craft — boats
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bound — tied together
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pit — in a race
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. game — a match
  18. firm — steady
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. game — wild animals
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bound — obliged
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — in a tire

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