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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bank — for money
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bank — for money
  8. stem — to come from
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mark — a grade
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bank — of a river
  15. degree — from a university
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. squash — the sport
  19. vault — a safe
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mark — a trace
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. degree — an amount

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