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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — rain
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. rock — music
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. craft — boats
  14. object — a thing
  15. drill — army training
  16. bark — to shout
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. object — an aim
  21. stock — shares
  22. drill — the tool
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. object — to protest

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