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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: tube · hand · land · staff · can · stand · suit · bound

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. land — to come down
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. staff — employees
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. staff — employees
  8. bound — tied together
  9. land — a country
  10. stand — to bear
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. staff — a stick
  13. hand — help
  14. tube — a container
  15. hand — in cards
  16. tube — the underground
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. can — to be able to
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bound — certain

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