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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 124 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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. drill — army training
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — in cards
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. firm — steady
  7. bulb — for light
  8. firm — a company
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wound — an injury
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stem — to come from
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. drill — a practice
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  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