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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · game · stem · wound · stand · ball · tear · calf

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. game — a match
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. object — a thing
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. tear — from crying
  12. object — an aim
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. tear — to rip
  17. wound — an injury
  18. game — wild animals
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wound — an injury
  23. stand — to bear
  24. object — to protest

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