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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 · clip · key · object · date · stock · craft · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. clip — a video
  10. key — in music
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. object — to protest
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. squash — the sport
  16. key — the most important part
  17. craft — boats
  18. clip — to cut
  19. clip — for paper
  20. key — for a lock
  21. board — a committee
  22. object — a thing
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. object — an aim

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