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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 · suit · wind · mark · mug · can · board · last

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mug — a face
  3. wind — moving air
  4. can — to be able to
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. board — a committee
  10. can — a tin
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stock — shares
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stock — goods
  15. last — to go on
  16. can — a tin
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mark — a grade
  21. last — finally
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. suit — in cards
  24. last — final

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