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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · stem · toast · foot · bear · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bear — the animal
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. kick — in football
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stem — to come from
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bear — the animal
  13. toast — bread
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bear — to put up with

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