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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: board · stem · squash · club · season · toast · stand · cap

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. season — in sport
  3. cap — of ice
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. toast — bread
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. season — of the year
  10. board — a committee
  11. stem — to come from
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. board — to get on
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. cap — a hat
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cap — a lid
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — to crush
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for golf
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. stem — of a plant

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