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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: toast · stand · bark · field · ball · coach · jam · stock

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. field — a subject
  4. toast — bread
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. stock — shares
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bark — to shout
  14. field — farmland
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. field — for sport
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. stock — goods
  23. stand — to bear
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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