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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · board · date · perch · bowl · mark · wave · charge

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. board — a committee
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. charge — a price
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mark — a trace
  15. charge — in control
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. stock — shares
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. charge — electricity
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. board — to get on
  24. stock — goods

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