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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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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: date · face · stick · bark · fan · cell · stem · leaves

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. cell — in biology
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. face — to confront
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. face — part of the head
  20. cell — a phone
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. date — the fruit
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fan — a supporter

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