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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · mug · leaves · arm · stock · wind · toast · cabinet

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stock — goods
  4. toast — bread
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. board — a committee
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. board — to get on
  10. mug — a cup
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. stock — shares
  13. mug — a face
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mug — to rob
  24. leaves — lets stay

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