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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.

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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: bay · net · pit · bear · stock · craft · fork · bark

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. net — for catching
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stock — shares
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bark — to shout
  11. stock — goods
  12. net — after costs
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. craft — boats
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pit — in a race
  24. net — in sport

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