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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: stem · tube · kick · calf · last · fan · ball · face

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. face — to confront
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. face — part of the head
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. last — finally
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kick — in football
  16. last — to go on
  17. tube — the underground
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. tube — a container
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. last — final
  22. face — to point toward
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fan — to cool the air

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