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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 116 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: rash · leaves · last · charge · staff · bark · fine · stem

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fine — high quality
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stem — to come from
  10. charge — in control
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. last — to go on
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. last — finally
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. staff — employees
  17. charge — a price
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. charge — electricity
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rash — a series
  24. fine — all right

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