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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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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: hide · object · fall · temple · fork · stock · bark · saw

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stock — goods
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. fall — the season
  8. object — to protest
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fall — to drop
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stock — shares
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. object — an aim
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. object — a thing
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. saw — the tool

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