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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — help
  5. mark — a trace
  6. tube — a container
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. capital — money
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. capital — a city
  22. stem — to come from
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. stem — of a plant

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