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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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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: fine · bark · prune · stock · pound · lie · stick · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. track — a path
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pound — a weight
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. track — a song
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bark — to shout
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stock — goods
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. prune — the fruit
  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