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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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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: fork · mug · mark · stem · bay · wake · mouse · kick

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stem — to come from
  12. kick — in football
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mug — a face
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wake — a trail
  24. mug — a cup

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