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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.

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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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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: kick · press · wave · bark · stock · stick · pass · rule

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rule — a law
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rule — government
  12. stock — goods
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kick — in football
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bark — to shout
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. press — to push
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pass — to succeed
  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