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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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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: stand · stock · rule · object · stick · board · season · branch

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. season — in sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — a committee
  8. stock — shares
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. rule — a law
  13. season — of the year
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rule — government
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. board — to get on
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. object — a thing
  24. branch — a division

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