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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 · bark · lean · prune · suit · foot · hand · fine

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stock — shares
  7. hand — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stock — goods
  12. fine — all right
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bark — to shout
  16. hand — help
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — to bend
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. lean — thin
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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