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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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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stock — goods
  4. suit — to fit
  5. key — the most important part
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. ball — a great time
  10. current — happening now
  11. board — a committee
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. board — to get on
  16. suit — in cards
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. season — in sport
  19. ball — a dance
  20. season — of the year
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. branch — a division
  24. ball — a round shape

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