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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: game · staff · last · stand · leaves · object · bound · hide

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. object — an aim
  3. last — to go on
  4. bound — obliged
  5. staff — employees
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bound — certain
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. staff — employees
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bound — tied together
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. last — final
  18. last — finally
  19. object — to protest
  20. staff — a stick
  21. game — a match
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. object — a thing

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