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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: club · object · cue · chest · charge · stem · stock · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. club — a group
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chest — of your body
  11. charge — a price
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. club — for dancing
  15. charge — in control
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cue — a signal
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. club — for golf
  21. object — an aim
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stem — to come from

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