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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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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: pop · firm · club · lean · board · rush · stand · race

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. race — humankind
  3. rush — hurry
  4. race — the arms race
  5. firm — a company
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. club — for golf
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. firm — decided
  11. pop — to visit
  12. stand — to bear
  13. club — for dancing
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pop — music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. club — a group
  19. firm — steady
  20. race — a contest
  21. lean — thin
  22. pop — soda
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stand — for spectators

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