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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. field — for sport
  6. wound — an injury
  7. tube — a container
  8. field — a subject
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — bread
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. field — farmland
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. stem — to come from
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. swing — in golf
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. swing — music
  24. tube — the underground

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