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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 · cap · swing · court · rest · firm · march · bound

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bound — certain
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — the month
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. bound — tied together
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bound — obliged
  12. swing — music
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rest — what's left
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rest — a break
  18. firm — a company
  19. march — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. court — for sport
  22. firm — decided
  23. cap — a hat
  24. firm — steady

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