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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: ball · stock · staff · mark · bark · object · wake · ground

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wake — a trail
  3. object — an aim
  4. stock — goods
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ground — a position
  12. staff — a stick
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. object — to protest
  16. ground — the earth
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. staff — employees
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mark — a trace
  22. object — a thing
  23. staff — employees
  24. stock — shares

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