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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 120 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: root · net · mouse · staff · stock · board · land · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stock — goods
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stock — shares
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. land — ground
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. land — to come down
  12. root — of a word
  13. board — a committee
  14. net — in sport
  15. staff — employees
  16. net — after costs
  17. root — the cause
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. board — to get on
  20. net — for catching
  21. land — a country
  22. root — of a plant
  23. staff — employees
  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