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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. object — a thing
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. present — there
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. object — to protest
  7. degree — from a university
  8. lean — thin
  9. degree — temperature
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. degree — an amount
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stem — to come from
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. present — a gift
  19. mark — a trace
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. present — the time now
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. object — an aim
  24. mark — to pay attention

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