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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · stem · bark · hide · straw · root · pitcher · patient

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. mug — a cup
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mug — to rob
  14. root — of a word
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mug — a face
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. root — the cause
  24. pitcher — a jug

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