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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: cue · bowl · can · board · bear · stand · trunk · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stand — to bear
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cue — a hint
  6. board — to get on
  7. can — to be able to
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bear — the animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — a committee
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cue — a signal

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