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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. fine — high quality
  8. land — to come down
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. toast — bread
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stock — shares
  13. land — a country
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fine — all right
  23. land — ground
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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