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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pit — a hole

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