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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stock · root · wake · bark · chair · tube · nail · bay

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. root — of a word
  7. chair — a leader
  8. stock — shares
  9. root — of a plant
  10. tube — a container
  11. stock — goods
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bark — to shout
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. root — the cause

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