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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 120 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: cabinet · chip · stem · staff · prune · dip · bark · calf

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. prune — to trim
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. dip — to sink
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bark — to shout
  16. chip — for betting
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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