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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.

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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 · bowl · band · pop · safe · bark · leaves · race

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pop — soda
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. band — a ring
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. race — humankind
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. race — a contest
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pop — to visit
  19. band — a music group
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pop — music
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bowl — a football final

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