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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bulb — for light
  3. last — to go on
  4. mate — a friend
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stem — to come from
  7. last — final
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. last — finally
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mate — a partner
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. can — a tin
  15. mate — to breed
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. snap — to click
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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