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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: face · stem · rush · wave · pound · mug · pop · calf

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pound — a weight
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mug — to rob
  21. face — to confront
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mug — a face
  24. stem — a stem cell

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