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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: spell · stem · present · date · suit · fall · bark · drill

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. present — the time now
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. drill — a practice
  11. spell — letters
  12. suit — clothes
  13. spell — a short time
  14. present — a gift
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. fall — to drop
  17. spell — magic
  18. drill — army training
  19. suit — in cards
  20. present — there
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fall — the season

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