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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rock — a stone
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — a subject
  13. rock — music
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. stock — goods
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stock — shares
  18. field — farmland
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. stem — of a plant

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