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

Word bank: stem · bore · calf · racket · fork · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. fork — in a road
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. kick — in football
  13. bore — to tire
  14. stem — to come from
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fork — a garden tool

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