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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 · calf · squash · stick · rock · spell · trunk · stand

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rock — music
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. stand — to bear
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. squash — the sport
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. spell — magic
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. spell — letters
  24. trunk — of a tree

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