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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: bark · staff · stock · safe · mug · club · stem · squash

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. stem — to come from
  4. staff — a stick
  5. club — for golf
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. staff — employees
  8. stock — shares
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stock — goods
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mug — a face
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bark — to shout
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. mug — a cup
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. mug — to rob

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