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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: leaves · bark · file · stem · perch · cabinet · calf · march

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bark — to shout
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. march — the month
  6. stem — to come from
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. march — music
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. perch — the fish
  15. file — a document
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. file — a line of people
  24. march — the month

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