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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: stick · temple · sharp · bark · present · root · fine · pit

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bark — to shout
  3. sharp — clever
  4. present — a gift
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. present — there
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fine — all right
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. root — the cause
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pit — in a race
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fine — a penalty

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