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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pit — in a race
  4. squash — the sport
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. craft — a skill
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. firm — steady
  15. squash — to crush
  16. stem — to come from
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. firm — decided
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. firm — a company
  21. bark — to shout
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stem — a stem cell

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