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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: sharp · pound · board · coach · hide · lean · bank · stock

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. bank — for money
  2. lean — thin
  3. board — a committee
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lean — to bend
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pound — a weight
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stock — goods
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bank — for money
  20. stock — shares
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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