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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fork — in a road
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pop — soda
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. net — in sport
  18. stem — to come from
  19. net — for catching
  20. pop — music
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. net — after costs
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. racket — for tennis

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