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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pop — soda
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pop — to visit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. staff — employees
  11. march — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. perch — the fish
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rest — a break
  17. staff — employees
  18. rest — what's left
  19. staff — a stick
  20. pop — music
  21. march — the month
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. march — the month
  24. calf — a young animal

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