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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: dip · deal · stem · bark · rock · content · stick · fork

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stem — to come from
  11. content — happy
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bark — to shout
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rock — music
  24. deal — a big deal

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