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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: charge · stem · date · racket · bark · wake · track · toast

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. charge — a price
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. date — the fruit
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. track — a path
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. toast — bread
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. charge — in control

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