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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
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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: plane · stand · bay · tube · bear · bound · march · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. suit — in cards
  5. march — music
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bound — obliged
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. march — the month
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bear — the animal
  17. march — the month
  18. bound — tied together
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bound — certain
  21. tube — a container
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. tube — the underground

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