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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. clip — a video
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. clip — to cut
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. capital — a city
  17. clip — for paper
  18. capital — money
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bark — to shout
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. foot — a measure

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