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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 116 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: rule · firm · stem · bark · present · lean · shower · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rule — government
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. lean — thin
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. firm — decided
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bass — the fish
  13. shower — to wash
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. bass — low music
  17. stem — to come from
  18. firm — a company
  19. shower — rain
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. firm — steady
  24. present — a gift

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