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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: ruler · bark · deal · stem · rest · cabinet

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rest — a break
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stem — to come from
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rest — what's left
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bark — to shout

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