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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stem — to come from
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. chair — a leader
  8. craft — a skill
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. craft — boats
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. foot — a measure
  16. staff — employees
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. foot — the bottom

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