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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: hide · arm · bark · key · stock · leaves · current · board

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. key — in music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. current — electric
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stock — goods
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. board — a committee
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stock — shares
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. current — happening now
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. board — to get on
  20. key — for a lock
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. current — of water
  23. bark — to shout
  24. board — a flat piece

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