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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 · bass · pit · fine · root · hide · calf · lash

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bass — the fish
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stem — to come from
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fine — all right
  15. root — the cause
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pit — a hole
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bass — low music

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