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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: calf · kick · cell · pop · tube · object · rush · stem

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. tube — the underground
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cell — in biology
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pop — soda
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pop — music
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. object — to protest
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pop — to visit
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. kick — in football
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. tube — a container
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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