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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.

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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: saw · squash · suit · pound · board · stand · mark · bound

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. squash — the sport
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. saw — the tool
  13. board — to get on
  14. mark — a grade
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pound — a weight
  17. board — a committee
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bound — tied together
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stand — on your feet

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