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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: mug · board · toast · hand · hide · mine · club · stand

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. board — a committee
  5. club — for dancing
  6. hand — help
  7. toast — bread
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. stand — to bear
  16. club — a group
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. club — for golf
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mine — for digging
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. board — to get on
  24. mug — a face

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