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

Word bank: calf · fork · stem · bowl · ruler · track

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. track — a path
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — to come from
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — in a road
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bowl — to roll

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