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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cap — of ice
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. squash — the sport
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stem — to come from
  11. cap — a hat
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. squash — to crush
  19. branch — a division
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cap — a lid
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. squash — the vegetable

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