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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: chair · stock · stand · foot · jam · suit · craft · stick

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. suit — clothes
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. suit — in cards
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. chair — a leader
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. stock — shares
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — goods
  24. stand — for spectators

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