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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: bound · pitch · plane · rule · leaves · stand · band · bulb

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pitch — completely
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bound — certain
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rule — government
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bound — tied together

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