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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: board · bowl · spell · suit · stick · stock · chest · lean

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. spell — magic
  3. lean — thin
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. board — to get on
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. spell — letters
  10. lean — to bend
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stock — shares
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chest — a box
  19. board — a committee
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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