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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fine — high quality
  4. hand — in cards
  5. stem — to come from
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — a stone
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fine — all right
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rock — music
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. hand — help
  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