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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · fine · tube · key · stock · stick

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. 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. key — the most important part
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. tube — a container
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fine — all right
  11. stock — shares
  12. bark — to shout
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fine — high quality
  15. key — in music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. 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