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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.

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: stock · perch · pass · suit · bay · bark · field · press

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. stock — shares
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pass — a permit
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. field — for sport
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. press — newspapers
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. field — a subject
  16. stock — goods
  17. bark — to shout
  18. perch — the fish
  19. suit — clothes
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bay — a horse colour

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