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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: ruler · board · bay · mug · band · pit · stock · object

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. band — a ring
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. object — to protest
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mug — to rob
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pit — in a race
  11. object — a thing
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. object — an aim
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. board — a committee
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. band — a music group
  22. stock — goods
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ruler — a monarch

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