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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: stock · sharp · deal · mine · cabinet · board · club · squash

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. club — for dancing
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. board — a committee
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. club — a group
  14. squash — the sport
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. club — for golf
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. board — to get on
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stock — goods
  23. mine — for digging
  24. sharp — exactly

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