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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 116 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: capital · pitcher · rock · pass · stand · board · spell · stock

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. board — to get on
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. spell — letters
  8. capital — money
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. capital — a city
  16. stand — to bear
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stock — shares
  20. board — a committee
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stock — goods
  24. rock — music

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