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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: fine · stick · shower · saw · field · face · stem · bark

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. field — for sport
  4. bark — to shout
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. field — farmland
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. shower — rain
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. saw — the tool
  15. face — to confront
  16. saw — the tool
  17. shower — to wash
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. field — a subject
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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