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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: fall · bore · stock · staff · suit · bark · march · mark

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fall — the season
  3. march — music
  4. bark — to shout
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bore — to drill
  9. stock — goods
  10. staff — employees
  11. march — the month
  12. staff — a stick
  13. suit — to fit
  14. staff — employees
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. stock — shares
  20. fall — to drop
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. suit — in cards

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