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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. craft — boats
  4. chair — a leader
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bank — for money
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stem — a stem cell

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