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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
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: plane · rule · season · bay · stock · staff · present · bark

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. rule — a law
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rule — government
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. staff — employees
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. present — a gift
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stock — goods
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. present — there
  18. staff — a stick
  19. stock — shares
  20. staff — employees
  21. present — the time now
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. season — of the year

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