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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 116 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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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: board · cap · ruler · stock · pound · pass · bowl · sharp

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cap — of ice
  7. board — to get on
  8. stock — shares
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pound — a weight
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cap — a lid
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stock — goods
  22. cap — a hat
  23. board — a committee
  24. ruler — for measuring

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