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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 120 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: stem · bark · kid · fine · bowl · mouse · mug · mate

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fine — all right
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mug — a face
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. kid — child
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mate — a friend
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mate — to breed
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. mug — to rob

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