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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. stock — shares
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. row — to paddle
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stock — goods
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. vault — a safe
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. track — a path
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. track — a song
  23. board — a committee
  24. row — a line

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