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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · bark · pass · fine · land · lash · mouse · stock

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. land — to come down
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. fine — all right
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. land — ground
  18. stock — goods
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. land — a country
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stock — shares

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