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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 120 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 · chip · foot · straw · stand · rest · bay · shower

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stand — to bear
  3. shower — to wash
  4. stock — shares
  5. chip — for betting
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rest — a break
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. shower — rain
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stock — goods
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. foot — a measure

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