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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 English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. snap — to click
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. tube — a container
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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