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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.

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: bat · board · pit · mouse · leaves · stick · rule · stock

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. board — to get on
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. stock — shares
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bat — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. stock — goods
  19. rule — government
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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