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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stem — to come from
  5. face — to point toward
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. face — to confront
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. face — part of the head
  17. hand — help
  18. stock — shares
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. row — a line
  21. stock — goods
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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