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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: fork · wake · sharp · staff · stock · stem · stick · bark

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. staff — a stick
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. staff — employees
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bark — to shout

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