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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. ground — the earth
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. club — for dancing
  14. ground — a position
  15. cue — a hint
  16. club — for golf
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. date — the fruit
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. ground — crushed
  23. club — a group
  24. cue — for pool

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