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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: stock · arm · bay · prune · club · game · nail · board

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. stock — goods
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. game — a match
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. club — for golf
  21. prune — to trim
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. game — wild animals
  24. club — for dancing

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