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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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stem — to come from
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. calf — of the leg

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