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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: stock · land · present · pit · rush · pass · bark · ground

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. land — ground
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. ground — a position
  8. present — a gift
  9. stock — shares
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. land — to come down
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. pit — in a race
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bark — to shout
  21. land — a country
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stock — goods

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