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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stock — shares
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. clip — to cut
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bark — to shout
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. clip — a video
  14. suit — clothes
  15. scale — size or range
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — to fit
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. clip — for paper
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. stock — goods

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