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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. field — a subject
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bark — to shout
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. pit — in a race
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rest — what's left
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rest — a break
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. field — for sport
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. field — farmland
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bear — to put up with

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