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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: foot · chest · stock · stand · pit · bank · leaves · rock

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stock — goods
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rock — a stone
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. foot — a measure
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stock — shares
  19. rock — music
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. foot — part of the body

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