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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.

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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: stem · bark · dip · net · trunk · coach · mark · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. dip — to sink
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. file — a document
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stem — to come from
  11. net — after costs
  12. file — a tool
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. net — for catching
  19. bark — to shout
  20. mark — a trace
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. net — in sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mark — a grade

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