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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: rash · leaves · degree · bark · club · bank · stem · cue

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bank — for money
  6. club — for dancing
  7. rash — hasty
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. club — for golf
  14. rash — a series
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stem — to come from
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. degree — an amount
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. club — a group
  24. degree — temperature

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