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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: stock · rule · mate · bay · fork · fine · bark · branch

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. bark — a dog's sound
  2. fork — in a road
  3. branch — a division
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fine — all right
  7. rule — a law
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. stock — goods
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. stock — shares
  17. bark — to shout
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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