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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: prune · rule · game · bound · pass · stand · foot · firm

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bound — tied together
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rule — a law
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. firm — a company
  16. bound — certain
  17. firm — steady
  18. bound — obliged
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. firm — decided
  22. game — a match
  23. rule — government
  24. stand — on your feet

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