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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bound — tied together
  6. net — in sport
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. net — for catching
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bank — for money
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stock — shares
  21. net — after costs
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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