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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: rock · rash · stem · bark · board · ball · stock · can

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. can — a tin
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rash — hasty
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. rock — music
  10. board — to get on
  11. rash — a series
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ball — a great time
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bark — to shout
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. board — a committee
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — to move gently

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