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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 120 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: tear · mug · bark · firm · rule · stock · leaves · drill

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. drill — army training
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. firm — decided
  7. stock — shares
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. firm — steady
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. firm — a company
  24. stock — goods

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