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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. stock — shares
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. net — in sport
  9. saw — the tool
  10. club — for golf
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rush — hurry
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. stock — goods
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. club — for dancing
  21. board — to get on
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. club — a group

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