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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: content · lean · net · mug · bear · board · bay · stock

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lean — thin
  6. mug — a face
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mug — to rob
  9. net — after costs
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stock — goods
  12. mug — a cup
  13. content — the amount
  14. stock — shares
  15. net — for catching
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. content — happy
  20. board — a committee
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lean — to rest against

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