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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 120 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: pound · stand · bound · leaves · stick · current · cue · cap

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bound — certain
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. current — electric
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cap — a lid
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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