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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: pound · jam · land · band · saw · rock · chair · stand

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stand — to bear
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. saw — the tool
  9. land — ground
  10. rock — a stone
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. saw — the tool
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pound — a weight
  15. land — a country
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. band — a ring
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. land — to come down
  21. band — a music group
  22. rock — music
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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