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

Word bank: bank · staff · board · bowl · stock · ruler

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bank — for money
  3. staff — employees
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bank — for money
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. staff — employees
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stock — a soup base

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