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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bark — to shout
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. saw — the tool

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