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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: suit · bowl · craft · drill · perch · stock · board · row

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. craft — boats
  3. board — a committee
  4. suit — in cards
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stock — goods
  9. suit — to fit
  10. row — a line
  11. board — to get on
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stock — shares
  16. suit — clothes
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. craft — a skill
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. row — to paddle
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. drill — the tool

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