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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — of a river
  8. can — a tin
  9. clip — to cut
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. drill — the tool
  12. clip — for paper
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bank — for money
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. drill — army training
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — to come from
  19. clip — a video
  20. drill — a practice
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bank — for money
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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