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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fork — in a road
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. spring — the season
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. board — to get on
  20. spring — of water
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. board — a committee
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. spring — a coil

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