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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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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: foot · suit · drill · rest · calf · cabinet · wind · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wind — moving air
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wind — moving air
  8. drill — army training
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rest — a break
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. drill — a practice
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. foot — a measure
  23. suit — to fit
  24. calf — a young animal

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