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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: club · mouse · stock · bound · stem · board · wound · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. stem — to come from
  3. wound — an injury
  4. drill — army training
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stock — shares
  8. board — a committee
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. drill — the tool
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bound — tied together
  13. board — to get on
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. club — a group
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bound — certain
  18. wound — an injury
  19. club — for golf
  20. stock — goods
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stem — of a plant

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