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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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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: stock · rash · lean · fan · prune · bark

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. lean — to bend
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. rash — a series
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — shares
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stock — goods
  13. bark — to shout
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rash — hasty

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