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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
468
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 · firm · stock · board · drill · wound · fall · stick

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stock — shares
  7. board — a committee
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fall — the season
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. stock — goods
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bark — to shout
  20. board — to get on
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. firm — decided
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — army training

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