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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 116 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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rule — government
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. tube — the underground
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mug — a cup
  15. band — a music group
  16. mug — a face
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. tube — a container
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. row — a line
  23. mug — to rob
  24. band — a ring

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