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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.

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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 · perch · leaves · rule · firm · dip · bark · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. firm — steady
  3. dip — to sink
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rule — government
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rule — a law
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. firm — decided
  13. stem — to come from
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. tube — a container
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. tube — the underground
  22. firm — a company
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rule — to rule out

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