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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.

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: hide · leaves · lean · bark · fine · stem · stand · march

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. march — the month
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. fine — high quality
  10. lean — to bend
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fine — all right
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. march — music
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lean — thin
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. march — the month
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stand — on your feet

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