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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: suit · bark · bound · chest · stock · patient · fork · leaves

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. chest — a box
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. suit — to fit
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bound — tied together
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. suit — in cards
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stock — shares
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bark — to shout
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bound — obliged
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stock — goods
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. chest — of your body
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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