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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: board · pound · saw · rock · stock · rule · bulb · bank

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. board — a committee
  3. rule — a law
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rock — music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pound — a weight
  14. board — to get on
  15. stock — shares
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. stock — goods
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bank — for money
  24. rule — government

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