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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: board · hide · lean · stock · mouse · bank · bear · court

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bear — the animal
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lean — thin
  5. board — to get on
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. board — a committee
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bear — the animal
  13. court — for sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stock — goods
  19. bank — for money
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. court — of law
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. court — of a king

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