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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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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: mark · stick · file · stem · perch · hide · bulb · arm

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. file — a line of people
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. file — a document
  7. mark — a trace
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mark — a grade
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. file — a tool
  20. perch — the fish
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bulb — for light

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