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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: wake · lie · shower · board · bay · pound · stock · drill

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. board — a committee
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stock — goods
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wake — a trail
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stock — shares
  23. board — to get on
  24. shower — rain

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