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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: stem · wound · chest · rash · stand · suit · key · bark

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stem — to come from
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rash — a series
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rash — hasty
  20. suit — to fit
  21. key — in music
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chest — of your body
  24. key — for a lock

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