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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stem — to come from
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wound — an injury
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pop — soda
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pop — to visit
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. swing — music

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