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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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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stem — to come from
  24. sharp — clever

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