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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: season · pass · bear · rule · bound · swing · row · stand

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stand — to bear
  6. swing — music
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bound — certain
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bear — the animal
  13. row — a line
  14. season — of the year
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. row — to paddle
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rule — government
  20. season — in sport
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. swing — to play on

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