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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: chest · press · stock · bark · hide · stick · board · jam

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. board — to get on
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — to push
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. chest — a box
  10. stock — shares
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. board — a committee
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. chest — of your body
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. chest — of your body
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stock — goods
  24. hide — animal skin

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