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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: stand · object · roll · stick · leaves · wound · bowl · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. object — an aim
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. tube — a container
  13. object — a thing
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — to protest
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. roll — a cake
  20. wound — an injury
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. roll — a list
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. leaves — to go away

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