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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: mouse · bay · roll · stand · cue · bark · stock · spring

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cue — a signal
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. spring — a coil
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bark — to shout
  14. spring — the season
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. roll — a list
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stock — shares
  23. spring — of water
  24. stock — goods

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