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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: bound · rush · row · stock · swing · board · fine · bark

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bound — obliged
  8. row — to paddle
  9. board — to get on
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stock — goods
  15. swing — in golf
  16. row — a line
  17. bound — certain
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. fine — all right
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. board — a committee
  24. stock — shares

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