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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stem — to come from
  6. track — a song
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fall — the season
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mug — to rob
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. mug — a face
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bank — for money

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