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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. object — to protest
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mark — a grade
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chair — a leader
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. hand — help
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. chair — to sit on

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