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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: bowl · plane · rest · net · pop · stock · board · deal

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rest — what's left
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pop — soda
  7. rest — a break
  8. net — after costs
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. board — a committee
  16. pop — music
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — in sport
  19. stock — shares
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stock — goods
  23. board — to get on
  24. bowl — a dish

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