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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 · mark · fan · stock · club · file · firm · straw

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. file — a document
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. mark — a trace
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stock — goods
  8. mark — a grade
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stock — shares
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. club — for dancing
  15. board — to get on
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. board — a committee
  18. club — a group
  19. firm — decided
  20. file — a tool
  21. club — for golf
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. file — a line of people

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