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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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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: wind · stand · tear · safe · lie · board · can · content

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. board — a committee
  10. tear — to rip
  11. can — a tin
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lie — to recline
  14. board — to get on
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wind — moving air
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. can — to be able to
  19. tear — from crying
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. can — a tin

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