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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. track — a path
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — employees
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. staff — a stick
  11. craft — boats
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. staff — employees
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stem — to come from
  24. squash — to crush

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