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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: stand · jam · shower · court · swing · stem · foot · wave

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. shower — rain
  4. court — of a king
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. court — for sport
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. swing — music
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — a measure
  13. swing — in golf
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stem — to come from
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. swing — to play on
  22. court — of law
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. foot — the bottom

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