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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mug — a face
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bank — of a river
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bank — for money
  12. land — ground
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. land — to come down
  15. mug — a cup
  16. land — a country
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rock — music

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