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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 116 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: board · march · rock · bear · stock · current · plane · kid

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. march — the month
  5. kid — child
  6. plane — a tool
  7. board — a committee
  8. stock — goods
  9. current — happening now
  10. march — music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. current — of water
  13. rock — a stone
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. current — electric
  16. rock — music
  17. march — the month
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. kid — to tease
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. stock — shares

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