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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mark — a grade
  13. kid — child
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bark — to shout
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mark — a trace
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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