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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fine — all right
  6. stem — to come from
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. court — of law
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. court — of a king
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. court — for sport
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fine — a penalty

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