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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: bank · pound · bark · toast · land · board · stock · staff

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pound — a weight
  3. land — a country
  4. staff — employees
  5. toast — bread
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stock — goods
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bark — to shout
  11. board — to get on
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. board — a committee
  14. bank — for money
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. land — to come down
  17. stock — shares
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. staff — employees
  20. land — ground
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bank — for money
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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