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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 124 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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spell — a short time
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. deal — to handle
  6. season — in sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spell — magic
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — a stone
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. spell — letters
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. season — of the year
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rock — music
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stem — to come from

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