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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 120 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
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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: calf · lash · stock · chair · rock · fork · pop · bark

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pop — music
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rock — music
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pop — soda
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bark — of a tree

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