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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: branch · key · board · game · coach · clip · stock · current

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stock — goods
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. current — happening now
  5. board — a committee
  6. current — of water
  7. stock — shares
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. clip — a video
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. clip — for paper
  15. game — a match
  16. clip — to cut
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. current — electric
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. key — the most important part

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