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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.

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: key · bay · rash · fall · bark · dip · wound · stock

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rash — a series
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stock — shares
  6. key — in music
  7. wound — an injury
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stock — goods
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. fall — the season

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