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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. board — a committee
  3. stock — shares
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. swing — music
  8. board — to get on
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — for money
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bank — for money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. row — to paddle
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bank — of a river
  20. stock — goods
  21. swing — in golf
  22. suit — to fit
  23. row — a line
  24. bowl — a football final

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