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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: land · stock · bear · wave · bay · board · file · pit

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. land — ground
  8. bear — the animal
  9. land — a country
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. file — a document
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — to get on
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. land — to come down
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. file — a tool
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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