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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: ruler · key · stock · pit · net · date · board · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. board — to get on
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stock — shares
  6. key — in music
  7. stock — goods
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. net — after costs
  17. pit — in a race
  18. board — a committee
  19. key — the most important part
  20. can — a tin
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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