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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 116 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: cap · calf · stem · fan · pit · rock · ruler · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rock — music
  11. cap — of ice
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pit — in a race

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