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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: tear · stock · fall · scale · calf · jam · fan · bark

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fall — the season
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. tear — to rip
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stock — shares
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. tear — from crying
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stock — goods
  15. bark — to shout
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. scale — in music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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