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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 · pound · bark · stem · wake · craft · mark · kick

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. dip — to sink
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pound — a weight
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mark — a trace
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — in football
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bark — to shout
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. craft — boats
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stem — to come from

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