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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 like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stock — shares
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. board — to get on
  6. bank — of a river
  7. root — of a word
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — a committee
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. root — the cause
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bank — for money
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. root — of a plant
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stock — goods
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bank — for money
  24. board — a flat piece

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