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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.

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: lean · racket · net · stock · board · squash · cabinet · bound

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — a committee
  4. net — for catching
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bound — tied together
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bound — certain
  13. board — to get on
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lean — to bend
  16. net — after costs
  17. stock — shares
  18. squash — to crush
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stock — goods
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lean — thin
  24. net — in sport

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