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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pop — music
  3. march — music
  4. stem — to come from
  5. rest — a break
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rest — what's left
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pop — soda
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. march — the month
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. march — the month
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. perch — the fish
  24. calf — a young animal

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