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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 112 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stem — to come from
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. can — a tin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. race — the arms race
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. race — a contest
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. race — humankind
  18. can — to be able to

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