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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. net — in sport
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. net — after costs
  9. rule — government
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stem — to come from
  17. rule — a law
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. net — for catching
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cap — a hat

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