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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fall — to drop
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — boats
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — in football
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. spell — letters
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fall — the season
  24. kick — a thrill

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