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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 116 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: wound · mug · chair · deal · stand · court · board · wave

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. board — a committee
  3. wound — an injury
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. court — for sport
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chair — a leader
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. board — to get on
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. court — of a king
  22. mug — a face
  23. court — of law
  24. wound — an injury

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