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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: bark · chair · key · mark · racket · lean · stock · mug

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. stock — shares
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. stock — goods
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mug — a face
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. mug — to rob
  17. key — in music
  18. lean — thin
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. key — the most important part
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. lean — to bend
  24. racket — for tennis

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