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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stand — to bear
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. root — of a plant
  9. track — a path
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. root — of a word
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bark — to shout
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. root — the cause
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. track — to keep track
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. track — a song
  24. suit — clothes

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