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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: tube · leaves · stick · stock · stand · pop · board · track

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stand — to bear
  3. tube — a container
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stock — shares
  8. pop — music
  9. tube — the underground
  10. board — a committee
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. track — a song
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. track — to keep track
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pop — to visit
  19. track — a path
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stock — goods
  22. pop — soda
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. leaves — of a tree

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