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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: bark · cabinet · wake · wave · ball · fork · stock · trunk

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ball — a dance
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. fork — in a road
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. ball — a great time

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