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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stem — to come from
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. staff — a stick
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pop — music
  22. file — a document
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wax — to grow

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