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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: toast · stand · mate · racket · stock · shower · tube · board

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. stand — to bear
  5. tube — a container
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. mate — a friend
  8. shower — to wash
  9. tube — the underground
  10. board — a committee
  11. toast — bread
  12. shower — rain
  13. mate — to breed
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stock — goods
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. board — to get on
  21. mate — a partner
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — shares

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