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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 116 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. prune — to trim
  4. stem — to come from
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. nail — for a hammer

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