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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. track — a song
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. row — a line
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. lean — to bend
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stem — to come from
  21. lean — thin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. track — a path

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