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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: wave · bark · mark · stock · chip · wound · tube · fork

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bark — to shout
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stock — goods
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. chip — to eat
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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