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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: mug · stand · season · chest · tear · lean · bound · tube

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. chest — a box
  3. season — of the year
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. season — in sport
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. chest — of your body
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bound — obliged
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. mug — a face
  18. bound — certain
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lean — thin
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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