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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. shower — rain
  5. board — to get on
  6. shower — to wash
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stock — goods
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pass — a permit
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stock — shares
  21. rock — music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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