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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
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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: court · bound · rock · shower · spell · cabinet · stand · staff

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. staff — employees
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. court — of a king
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bound — certain
  9. court — for sport
  10. spell — magic
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. court — of law
  15. bound — tied together
  16. staff — employees
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rock — music
  19. shower — rain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. spell — a short time
  22. staff — a stick
  23. spell — letters
  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