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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · content · stock · mouse · tear · rule · board · key

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. board — to get on
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. content — happy
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rule — a law
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. content — the amount
  14. key — for a lock
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rule — government
  19. board — a committee
  20. tear — from crying
  21. stock — shares
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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