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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: mug · bark · stock · kick · stand · bay · field · cabinet

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. stand — to bear
  3. field — for sport
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. stock — shares
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — farmland
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. kick — in football
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. stock — goods
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mug — a face
  24. stand — on your feet

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