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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 120 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stock — shares
  6. bank — for money
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stock — goods
  9. present — the time now
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. present — a gift
  15. board — to get on
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. file — a tool
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. present — there
  23. file — a document
  24. pit — in a race

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