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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: board · pop · mine · leaves · staff · stand · hand · cap

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pop — soda
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. board — to get on
  13. mine — for digging
  14. staff — employees
  15. board — a committee
  16. hand — help
  17. stand — to bear
  18. staff — employees
  19. cap — of ice
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cap — a hat
  24. board — a flat piece

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