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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 120 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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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: board · stock · kid · stand · stick · arm · foot · rock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. rock — music
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stock — shares
  10. foot — a measure
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stock — goods
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. board — a committee
  17. kid — to tease
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. board — to get on
  21. kid — child
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. foot — the bottom

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