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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: club · stock · leaves · firm · bark · coach · pit · ball

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. club — for golf
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. ball — a great time
  12. firm — a company
  13. stock — shares
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. club — for dancing
  17. firm — decided
  18. stock — goods
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. firm — steady
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. club — a group

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