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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. net — for catching
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bark — to shout
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — goods
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fall — the season
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. stock — shares
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — in sport

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