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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 116 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. file — a line of people
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. file — a tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. file — a document
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. root — of a plant
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. root — of a word
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. root — the cause

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