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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 · object · shower · snap · rest · saw · cue · stem

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stem — to come from
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rest — a break
  7. shower — to wash
  8. cue — a hint
  9. object — an aim
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. object — to protest
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. object — a thing
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — the tool
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cue — for pool
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. snap — to click

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