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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. land — ground
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bear — the animal
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. staff — employees
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. staff — employees
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cell — a phone
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. land — a country
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. land — to come down
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stem — to come from
  24. calf — a young animal

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