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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stem — to come from
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mug — a cup
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rock — music
  10. perch — the fish
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mug — a face
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rock — a stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mug — to rob

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