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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 116 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: spell · mine · chair · bark · object · stock · bass · bay

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stock — shares
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mine — for digging
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. spell — a short time
  14. object — to protest
  15. stock — goods
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bass — low music
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. spell — letters
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bass — the fish
  24. spell — magic

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