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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
468
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: cap · fan · net · bark · stem · track · object · stick

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cap — of ice
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. bark — to shout
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. object — a thing
  14. track — a song
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — a path
  19. net — after costs
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. net — for catching
  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