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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: wake · bark · season · trunk · face · stem · suit · press

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. suit — to fit
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. stem — to come from
  5. face — part of the head
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. press — newspapers
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. press — to push
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wake — a trail
  22. press — a publisher
  23. face — to confront
  24. bark — to shout

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