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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: net · fan · scale · stock · row · present · craft · board

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. row — to paddle
  4. present — there
  5. net — after costs
  6. present — the time now
  7. board — to get on
  8. net — for catching
  9. board — a committee
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. present — a gift
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. row — a line
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. scale — in music
  20. net — in sport
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stock — goods
  24. craft — boats

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