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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: content · club · board · chip · roll · spring · patient · stock

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. spring — of water
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. chip — for betting
  8. content — happy
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. club — for dancing
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. board — to get on
  14. spring — the season
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. club — for golf
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. roll — a list
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. content — the amount
  21. spring — a coil
  22. roll — a cake
  23. chip — to eat
  24. board — a committee

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