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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stem — to come from
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. scale — size or range
  13. cell — a phone
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. bear — the 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