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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: stock · bank · can · bore · roll · board · key · pound

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. bank — for money
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. stock — goods
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. can — to be able to
  10. board — to get on
  11. bank — of a river
  12. key — in music
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. board — a committee
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bore — to drill
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pound — a weight
  19. can — a tin
  20. bank — for money
  21. stock — shares
  22. roll — a list
  23. can — a tin
  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