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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: stand · cue · leaves · degree · present · pitcher · stock · chest

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cue — for pool
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. degree — temperature
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chest — a box
  12. present — the time now
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stock — goods
  16. chest — of your body
  17. degree — an amount
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. degree — from a university
  20. stock — shares
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. present — a gift
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. present — there

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