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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: lean · board · ruler · pass · march · bound · suit · clip

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. clip — to cut
  3. march — the month
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pass — a permit
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — to fit
  10. march — the month
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. march — music
  14. clip — for paper
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lean — thin
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. clip — a video
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. suit — clothes

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