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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 120 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: fine · spell · board · stock · drill · rush · temple · mate

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. stock — shares
  3. mate — a partner
  4. rush — hurry
  5. drill — the tool
  6. board — to get on
  7. mate — to breed
  8. spell — a short time
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spell — magic
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stock — goods
  14. fine — all right
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. spell — letters
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. board — a committee
  20. drill — army training
  21. fine — high quality
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rush — to hurry

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