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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bound — tied together
  4. club — for golf
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. season — of the year
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bound — certain
  12. stock — shares
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bound — obliged
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. season — in sport
  24. bark — of a tree

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