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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rest · rush · stock · pitcher · chair · court · suit

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. stock — goods
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. court — of a king
  8. stock — shares
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. court — of law
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rush — hurry
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rest — a break
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. court — for sport
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. chair — a leader

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