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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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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: bank · ground · firm · board · object · rule · stand · straw

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. object — to protest
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ground — a position
  5. stand — to bear
  6. firm — decided
  7. rule — government
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. firm — a company
  10. rule — a law
  11. bank — for money
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bank — for money
  14. object — an aim
  15. ground — the earth
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bank — of a river
  18. firm — steady
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. object — a thing
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ground — crushed

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