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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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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: board · stand · swing · stock · foot · mug · present · shower

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. board — to get on
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mug — a face
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. stock — shares
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. mug — to rob
  14. board — a committee
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. swing — to play on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. stock — goods
  19. shower — to wash
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. mug — a cup
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. shower — rain

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