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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: fall · bark · bay · tear · stem · mouse · hide · mark

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. tear — to rip
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fall — the season
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bark — to shout
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mark — a trace
  24. hide — to keep secret

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