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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stem — to come from
  4. shower — rain
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. toast — bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bark — to shout
  15. shower — to wash
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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