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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. court — of law
  3. cell — in biology
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. court — of a king
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. stem — to come from
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. cell — a phone
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. board — a committee
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — for money
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. court — for sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. board — to get on

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