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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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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: can · shower · stock · bark · pass · cell · mark · bank

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. cell — a phone
  3. stock — goods
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bank — for money
  9. cell — in biology
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bank — for money
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. can — a tin
  19. shower — rain
  20. can — a tin
  21. bank — of a river
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stock — shares
  24. mark — a grade

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