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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 116 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: stand · pound · bore · face · tube · object · hand · bay

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. object — an aim
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hand — help
  6. tube — the underground
  7. face — to confront
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. object — to protest
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bore — to drill
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. object — a thing
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bore — to tire

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