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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. stem — to come from
  8. suit — in cards
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. suit — to fit
  11. firm — a company
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. firm — steady
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. drill — the tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. drill — a practice
  21. saw — the tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. drill — army training
  24. suit — clothes

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