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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: stock · perch · patient · bark · roll · key · clip · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. clip — a video
  3. key — for a lock
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. clip — for paper
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. roll — a list
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. key — in music
  18. stock — goods
  19. bark — to shout
  20. roll — a cake
  21. stock — shares
  22. clip — to cut
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. perch — the fish

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