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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: last · rest · bark · stand · craft · squash · wake · stock

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. last — to go on
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. last — final
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stock — goods
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. stock — shares
  16. wake — a trail
  17. last — finally
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rest — a break
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. craft — boats
  22. bark — to shout
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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