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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · stick · file · stem · perch · hide

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mark — a trace
  5. file — a line of people
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. file — a tool
  11. mark — a grade
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. file — a document
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. hide — to keep secret

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