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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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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: bark · stem · stick · racket · key · chest · cue · bowl

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. chest — of your body
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cue — for pool
  18. key — in music
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. chest — a box
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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