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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · bulb · drill · stock · mate · swing · stand · root

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. board — to get on
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. board — a committee
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mate — a friend
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stock — shares
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — of a word
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. stock — goods
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mate — to breed
  24. root — the cause

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