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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: root · bark · fan · board · key · lie · cabinet · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stock — shares
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. root — the cause
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. board — a committee
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. key — in music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. board — to get on
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. root — of a word
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. root — of a plant

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