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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 120 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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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: mark · bore · saw · stock · game · firm · cap · board

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. game — wild animals
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cap — a hat
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bore — to drill
  10. firm — a company
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. board — to get on
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mark — a grade
  16. board — a committee
  17. game — a match
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cap — a lid
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. stock — shares
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cap — of ice

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