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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wake — a trail
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bark — to shout
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stock — shares
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cue — for pool
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. racket — for tennis

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