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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cell — a phone
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ball — a great time
  11. suit — to fit
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. suit — in cards
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cell — in biology
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. suit — clothes
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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