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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: fine · row · kick · bark · cell · cabinet · object · patient

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. row — to paddle
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. kick — in football
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bark — to shout
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fine — all right
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — an aim
  19. row — a line
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. object — a thing
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — high quality
  24. row — a quarrel

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