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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 120 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. rash — a series
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. firm — decided
  6. bank — for money
  7. rash — hasty
  8. firm — a company
  9. staff — employees
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. staff — employees
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bank — for money
  19. staff — a stick
  20. firm — steady
  21. stock — shares
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bark — to shout
  24. spell — letters

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