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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: pound · spell · leaves · kid · stand · board · race · bowl

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. race — a contest
  10. stand — to bear
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. board — a committee
  14. kid — child
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pound — a weight
  18. spell — magic
  19. race — humankind
  20. spell — letters
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. spell — a short time
  24. kid — to tease

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