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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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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: bear · season · ball · stem · suit · bark · cabinet · mouse

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. season — in sport
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. season — of the year
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mouse — the animal

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