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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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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: stock · stand · mate · race · stem · stick · board · bowl

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mate — to breed
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. board — a committee
  6. mate — a partner
  7. race — humankind
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. board — to get on
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. race — a contest

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