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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. season — of the year
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. stem — to come from
  8. scale — in music
  9. lean — to bend
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lean — thin
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. season — in sport
  23. firm — steady
  24. scale — size or range

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