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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 120 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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fine — all right
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. rule — a law
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stem — to come from
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kid — to tease
  15. fine — high quality
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rule — government
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. kid — child
  24. stem — a stem cell

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