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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 120 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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. fork — in a road
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bank — of a river
  10. press — to push
  11. perch — the fish
  12. firm — a company
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bank — for money
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stem — to come from
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bank — for money
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. press — newspapers
  24. scale — for weighing

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