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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · chair · rule · board · stock · rock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. board — to get on
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. rule — a law
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. board — a committee
  11. stock — goods
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rule — government
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. chair — a leader

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