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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: snap · fan · racket · scale · ruler · calf · stem · stand

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stand — to bear
  11. snap — to click
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. scale — in music
  18. stem — to come from
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. racket — a loud noise

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