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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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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: stem · calf · rock · key · ball · fine

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — all right
  8. rock — music
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ball — a dance
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. ball — a great time

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