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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. clip — for paper
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — to come from
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. clip — a video
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. staff — a stick
  16. clip — to cut
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. branch — a division
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. staff — employees
  24. stem — of a plant

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