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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. stem — to come from
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. charge — in control
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. charge — a price
  17. cold — not warm
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. charge — electricity
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cold — an illness
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. fork — in a road

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