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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: object · stem · kid · net · board · mark · pound · stand

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. object — a thing
  4. kid — child
  5. pound — a weight
  6. object — an aim
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. net — in sport
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. net — after costs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. net — for catching
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — to tease
  17. board — to get on
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mark — a trace
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stem — to come from
  23. object — to protest
  24. stand — on your feet

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