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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: foot · cap · rush · fine · stem · staff · bark · perch

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stem — to come from
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. staff — employees
  8. fine — all right
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bark — to shout
  11. staff — a stick
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cap — of ice
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rush — hurry
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. stem — of a plant

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