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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
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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: spell · current · suit · bark · stem · race · kid · tube

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. current — electric
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. spell — magic
  6. stem — to come from
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. current — of water
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. kid — to tease
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bark — to shout
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. current — happening now
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. suit — clothes
  24. race — the arms race

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