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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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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: bank · bark · can · stem · board · track · sharp · stock

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bank — for money
  3. track — a path
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stock — goods
  10. can — a tin
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bank — of a river
  13. track — to keep track
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bank — for money
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. track — a song
  20. stock — shares
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stem — to come from
  23. board — to get on
  24. can — a tin

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