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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 116 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: object · chair · staff · bat · stem · mouse · fork · bark

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. chair — a leader
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bark — to shout
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. object — an aim
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. staff — employees

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