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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. craft — boats
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. chest — a box
  7. pop — soda
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pop — music
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cap — a lid
  14. race — humankind
  15. craft — a skill
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — the arms race
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stem — to come from
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cap — a hat
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. chest — of your body

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