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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: march · bore · object · bound · lie · track · squash · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bound — tied together
  5. object — a thing
  6. march — the month
  7. squash — to crush
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. march — the month
  13. track — a song
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. track — to keep track
  16. march — music
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bound — certain
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. track — a path
  24. stand — for spectators

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