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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: deal · bowl · band · suit · stem · toast · stock · board

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stock — goods
  3. stem — to come from
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. band — a ring
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. stock — shares
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. suit — to fit
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. suit — clothes
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. band — a music group
  21. board — to get on
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. board — a committee
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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