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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · deal · stand · clip · content · pass · mug · bound

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. bound — certain
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mug — a face
  8. object — an aim
  9. clip — for paper
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. object — a thing
  12. content — happy
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. clip — a video
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. object — to protest

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