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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. club — for golf
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pit — a hole
  21. club — for dancing
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. club — a group

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