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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stick · board · sharp · temple · rest · stock · game · last

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. board — to get on
  4. rest — a break
  5. last — final
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stock — goods
  8. last — finally
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. game — a match
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rest — what's left
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. sharp — clever
  20. last — to go on
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. stock — shares
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. temple — a place of worship

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