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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.

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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: bank · foot · arm · season · mouse · board · net · stock

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bank — for money
  4. season — of the year
  5. bank — for money
  6. net — for catching
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. board — to get on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. board — a committee
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. net — in sport
  15. stock — shares
  16. bank — of a river
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. net — after costs
  19. season — in sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. arm — part of the body

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