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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: stock · current · board · degree · present · bank · file · bowl

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. degree — from a university
  3. file — a line of people
  4. stock — shares
  5. degree — temperature
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bank — of a river
  8. board — a committee
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. stock — goods
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. board — to get on
  22. present — a gift
  23. current — electric
  24. bank — for money

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