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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 · pop · mine · pass · stock · mouse · cell · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bank — for money
  4. board — to get on
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pop — music
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pop — soda
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mine — for digging
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. board — a committee

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