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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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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: bay · board · hand · toast · firm · pound · stand · pass

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pass — a permit
  4. firm — decided
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. board — to get on
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. board — a committee
  13. firm — steady
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. firm — a company
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. stand — for spectators

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