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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. date — the fruit
  5. wound — an injury
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stem — to come from
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. craft — boats
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. object — an aim
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pit — a hole
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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