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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: bay · ball · squash · stem · file · cap · calf · club

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. club — a group
  5. cap — a hat
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. ball — a great time
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. file — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. club — for dancing
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. squash — to crush
  21. club — for golf
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stem — to come from

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