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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. drill — a practice
  4. key — the most important part
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. prune — to trim
  9. can — a tin
  10. fall — the season
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. drill — army training
  16. foot — a measure
  17. drill — the tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. key — for a lock
  20. fall — to drop
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. key — in music
  24. calf — of the leg

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