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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: dip · club · mug · calf · kid · board · stock · rule

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. board — a committee
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. kid — child
  5. club — a group
  6. kid — to tease
  7. club — for dancing
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rule — a law
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. club — for golf
  20. rule — government
  21. mug — a face
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. dip — to sink
  24. board — to get on

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