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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: stand · land · track · stock · board · root · bark · pound

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stock — goods
  5. stand — to bear
  6. track — a path
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. board — a committee
  9. track — to keep track
  10. land — to come down
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. land — a country
  15. stock — shares
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. track — a song
  19. board — to get on
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. land — ground
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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