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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cap — a hat
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pitch — completely
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. press — a publisher
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. press — to push
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wake — before a funeral

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