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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: root · firm · scale · straw · stand · board · racket · stick

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. scale — size or range
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. root — the cause
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. scale — in music
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. firm — a company
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. firm — decided
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. board — a committee
  21. firm — steady
  22. board — to get on
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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