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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: calf · spell · stem · mug · march · cabinet · root · lean

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. root — the cause
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. march — the month
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — letters
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. spell — a short time
  13. march — the month
  14. mug — a face
  15. lean — thin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. root — of a plant
  21. march — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. root — of a word
  24. stem — to come from

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