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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.

Make a worksheet

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: row · mark · bowl · board · content · key · temple · stock

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mark — a grade
  3. content — the amount
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. row — a line
  10. content — happy
  11. board — a committee
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. board — to get on
  16. stock — goods
  17. row — to paddle
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mark — a trace
  23. key — in music
  24. board — a flat piece

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