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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: chip · bark · suit · prune · fork · wave · lean · stock

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bark — to shout
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lean — thin
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lean — to bend
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stock — shares
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. chip — in a computer

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