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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: fall · stock · racket · bark · bulb · plane · patient · cabinet

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fall — the season
  9. plane — a tool
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stock — goods
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fall — to drop
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. stock — shares

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