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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stock — goods
  5. row — a line
  6. rock — a stone
  7. object — an aim
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. stock — shares
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rock — music
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lean — to bend
  20. object — a thing
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. lean — thin
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. object — to protest

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