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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: coach · current · hide · board · stock · mouse · season · pound

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. current — happening now
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stock — shares
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — to get on
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pound — a weight
  17. season — in sport
  18. board — a committee
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. current — electric
  21. stock — goods
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. current — of water
  24. pound — to hit hard

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