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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. scale — size or range
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stem — to come from
  21. suit — clothes
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. scale — in music

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