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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: hide · fan · cabinet · bark · snap · mark · present · stock

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stock — goods
  4. present — the time now
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. snap — to click
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. present — a gift
  12. bark — to shout
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. stock — shares
  16. mark — a grade
  17. present — there
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mark — to pay attention

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