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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: nail · bank · craft · bark · lie · date · stem · bound

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bank — of a river
  6. craft — a skill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. craft — boats
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bound — certain
  15. stem — to come from
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — the fruit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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