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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. stock — goods
  3. pop — soda
  4. date — the fruit
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stock — shares
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. rest — a break
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rest — what's left

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