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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. suit — in cards
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. can — a tin
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — clothes
  15. can — to be able to
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stem — of a plant

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