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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.

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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: bark · mate · jam · pass · stock · bulb · leaves · board

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. board — to get on
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bulb — for light
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. board — a committee
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mate — a friend
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stock — goods
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stock — shares
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pass — a permit
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mate — to breed

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