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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: wake · perch · stock · race · press · bark · fan · plane

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. perch — the fish
  4. race — a contest
  5. stock — goods
  6. press — newspapers
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. press — a publisher
  14. race — the arms race
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. race — humankind
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. press — to push
  24. stock — shares

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