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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: stock · lie · rash · stand · firm · pass · branch · staff

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. staff — employees
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stock — goods
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rash — a series
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — employees
  21. branch — a division
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. stand — to bear

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