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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · tear · bark · mouse · fan · ground · dip · stock

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. stock — goods
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bark — to shout
  10. ground — a position
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. spell — magic
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stock — shares
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. spell — letters
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. ground — the earth
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stock — a soup base

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