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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: pitch · stand · stem · coach · stock · face · board · kid

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — to get on
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pitch — completely
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. kid — to tease
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. board — a committee
  22. face — to point toward
  23. stock — shares
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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