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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: degree · stock · fine · current · lash · lie · band · board

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. band — a ring
  3. board — a committee
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. fine — high quality
  6. current — happening now
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. band — a music group
  10. stock — shares
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. current — of water
  14. fine — all right
  15. stock — goods
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. board — to get on
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. current — electric
  23. degree — temperature
  24. board — a flat piece

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