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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: bowl · wave · mouse · stock · roll · date · ruler · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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 — of a tree
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. roll — a list
  6. bark — to shout
  7. stock — shares
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. stock — goods
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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