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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: mug · hide · bark · pop · sharp · racket · mouse · stem

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bark — to shout
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pop — music
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pop — soda
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. sharp — clever
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mug — a face

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