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

Word bank: stock · stick · rest · bark · ruler · last

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stock — shares
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rest — a break
  9. bark — to shout
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. last — to go on
  12. rest — what's left
  13. last — finally
  14. stock — goods
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. last — final

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