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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.

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: tube · bore · bark · stick · spring · suit · stem · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. tube — the underground
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. spring — the season
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bore — to drill
  8. spring — of water
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. tube — a container
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stem — to come from
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. spring — a coil
  24. tube — in a tire

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