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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: stand · rush · present · clip · bound · cue · leaves · dip

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. clip — for paper
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. clip — a video
  14. present — the time now
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cue — for pool
  19. dip — to sink
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. clip — to cut
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bound — obliged

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