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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
468
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: cell · bark · bore · suit · stock · field · trunk · fall

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bore — to drill
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fall — to drop
  7. field — farmland
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — to fit
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stock — shares
  13. field — for sport
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bore — to tire
  18. cell — a phone
  19. stock — goods
  20. field — a subject
  21. cell — in biology
  22. fall — the season
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stock — a soup base

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