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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.

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: court · rush · bound · bowl · club · wake · cell · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. court — of a king
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bound — certain
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. court — of law
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cell — a phone
  19. court — for sport
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bound — tied together

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