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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: shower · pitch · wave · stand · club · bay · track · stock

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. track — a song
  3. stock — shares
  4. club — a group
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. track — a path
  9. shower — rain
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pitch — completely
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. club — for golf
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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