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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. land — a country
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wax — to grow
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. land — ground
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mug — a cup
  19. land — to come down
  20. stem — to come from
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mug — a face
  24. wax — for sculpting

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