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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: object · rush · club · bark · stem · cabinet · swing · clip

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. object — a thing
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stem — to come from
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. clip — to cut
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. clip — a video
  19. swing — to play on
  20. club — a group
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. club — for golf
  23. swing — music
  24. clip — for paper

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