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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. current — happening now
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fork — in a road
  7. current — electric
  8. rash — a series
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rash — hasty
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. current — of water
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pop — to visit
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. plane — a tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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