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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.

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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: staff · suit · bound · object · mate · drill · last · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. suit — to fit
  3. staff — a stick
  4. last — final
  5. staff — employees
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. mate — a partner
  9. last — finally
  10. bound — certain
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stand — to bear
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bound — obliged
  16. last — to go on
  17. mate — to breed
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. suit — in cards
  22. staff — employees
  23. object — to protest
  24. bound — tied together

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