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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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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: stand · tear · court · board · club · pound · bay · mate

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. court — of law
  3. mate — to breed
  4. court — of a king
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mate — a partner
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. court — for sport
  17. mate — a friend
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. club — a group
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. board — a committee
  24. tear — to rip

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