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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. present — there
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. object — an aim
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. can — to be able to
  8. kid — child
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. kid — to tease
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. bulb — for light

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