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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: stock · board · last · bay · rest · leaves · date · mouse

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. last — finally
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. last — final
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rest — what's left
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. board — to get on
  14. last — to go on
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. stock — goods
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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