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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cap — a lid
  7. face — to point toward
  8. stem — to come from
  9. hand — help
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. face — to confront
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. cap — of ice
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cap — a hat
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. face — part of the head

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