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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
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: rock · bay · deal · mine · current · stock · board · chair

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. mine — for digging
  6. board — to get on
  7. rock — a stone
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. current — electric
  11. board — a committee
  12. current — of water
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. rock — music
  21. stock — shares
  22. chair — a leader
  23. current — happening now
  24. mine — an explosive

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