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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: wake · swing · nail · bay · fine · bark · pit · stock

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. swing — music
  3. stock — goods
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — shares
  13. swing — to play on
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fine — all right
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bark — to shout
  24. swing — in golf

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