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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: pit · coach · firm · nail · perch · tube · stem · bark

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. firm — decided
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stem — to come from
  18. tube — the underground
  19. firm — a company
  20. tube — a container
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. firm — steady

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