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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 116 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: bay · perch · stem · bat · bark · wax · suit · track

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. track — a path
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. track — to keep track
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bat — the animal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. track — a song
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wax — for sculpting

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