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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 · rest · jam · stand · rash · file · shower · stock

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. shower — rain
  2. rest — what's left
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. stock — shares
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stock — goods
  8. rest — a break
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. file — a tool
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. toast — bread
  15. file — a document
  16. rash — a series
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rash — hasty
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rest — what's left
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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