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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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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: dip · date · calf · bark · fork · lie · stem · bulb

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. dip — to sink
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. date — the fruit
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — of a plant

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