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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: mug · craft · rule · key · fine · stem · bark · pitch

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mug — a face
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. rule — government
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. key — in music
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bark — to shout
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mug — a cup
  17. craft — boats
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rule — a law
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rule — to rule out
  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