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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: board · chip · season · rule · hide · mate · sharp · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. board — to get on
  3. stock — goods
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rule — government
  9. mate — a friend
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. board — a committee
  12. chip — to eat
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. season — of the year
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. season — in sport
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rule — a law

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