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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.

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: cap · straw · stand · prune · leaves · stock · board · kick

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stock — shares
  3. cap — of ice
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. cap — a hat
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stock — goods
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. board — to get on
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cap — a lid
  18. kick — in football
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. board — a committee

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