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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: lean · root · fan · bark · mark · lie · date · stem

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. root — of a word
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. root — the cause
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. date — the fruit
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

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