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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
468
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: board · nail · bear · court · stand · hide · racket · march

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. court — for sport
  4. board — a committee
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. court — of a king
  7. march — the month
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. board — to get on
  12. bear — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. march — music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. court — of law
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. march — the month

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