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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: stick · prune · net · stock · last · bank · board · leaves

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bank — for money
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. net — in sport
  5. stock — shares
  6. board — to get on
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. board — a committee
  10. last — finally
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. last — final
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. net — after costs
  16. prune — to trim
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bank — of a river
  19. prune — to trim
  20. last — to go on
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — goods
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. leaves — lets stay

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