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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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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 · lean · board · bore · pound · bark · bank · current

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pound — a weight
  3. current — happening now
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bore — to tire
  8. current — electric
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bank — for money
  11. current — of water
  12. stock — shares
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — thin
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. board — to get on

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