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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: firm · dip · stand · bear · leaves · board · band · fall

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. board — to get on
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. fall — the season
  5. bear — the animal
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. firm — steady
  8. band — a music group
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. firm — decided
  12. band — a ring
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stand — to bear
  17. firm — a company
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. dip — to sink
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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