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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. can — a tin
  5. last — finally
  6. can — a tin
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bulb — for light
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bear — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. can — to be able to
  16. last — to go on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. last — final
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. calf — a young 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