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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: bound · chip · track · stock · current · stick · pound · board

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bound — certain
  3. current — happening now
  4. chip — for betting
  5. board — to get on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — a committee
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stock — shares
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. current — electric
  17. bound — tied together
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bound — obliged
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. track — a song
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. current — of water

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