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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.

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 · wound · cap · object · bowl · bark · staff · hand

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. staff — employees
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. object — an aim
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. staff — employees
  16. object — to protest
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. staff — a stick
  20. wound — an injury
  21. hand — in cards
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wound — an injury

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