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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: land · bound · mate · stand · tube · lie · cue · bark

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. tube — a container
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cue — for pool
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cue — a signal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. land — a country
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. mate — a partner
  14. land — ground
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cue — a hint
  17. land — to come down
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mate — a friend

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