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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: lash · stem · stock · rock · cabinet · dip · court · bark

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. stock — goods
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of a king
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. court — of law
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stock — shares
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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