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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: firm · rash · bark · safe · craft · season · stem · mark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. season — in sport
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. season — of the year
  5. bark — to shout
  6. mark — a grade
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rash — a series
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. stem — to come from
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. firm — decided
  16. mark — a trace
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. craft — boats
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — on the skin

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