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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — goods
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stock — shares
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. season — in sport
  14. lean — thin
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. season — of the year
  18. wake — a trail
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wake — before a funeral

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