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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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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: dip · stock · race · stand · foot · sharp · stem · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. foot — a measure
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stock — shares
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. race — a contest
  9. stock — goods
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. shower — to wash
  13. stand — to bear
  14. race — the arms race
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. race — humankind
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. sharp — clever

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