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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 116 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. stock — shares
  3. branch — a division
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. fork — in a road
  16. stock — goods
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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