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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 120 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: stem · object · bark · rock · rush · chip · field · wax

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rush — hurry
  11. object — an aim
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. field — a subject
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. field — for sport
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. object — to protest
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stem — to come from
  23. object — a thing
  24. field — farmland

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