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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: racket · cabinet · press · stock · club · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stock — shares
  4. press — a publisher
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — to push
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. club — a group
  11. stock — goods
  12. board — a committee
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. press — newspapers
  15. club — for golf
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. racket — a loud noise

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