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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: rock · stock · board · bowl · key · nail · leaves · wake

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rock — music
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. key — in music
  12. board — a committee
  13. wake — a trail
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. key — for a lock
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. board — to get on
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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