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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. fork — in a road
  3. roll — a cake
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. roll — a list
  14. bark — to shout
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. current — electric
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stand — for spectators

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