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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: mug · chair · stock · pass · dip · mark · shower · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mug — a face
  3. stand — to bear
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stock — goods
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. shower — rain
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mug — a cup
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. shower — to wash
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. dip — to dunk

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