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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · stem · pit · track · perch · hide · rash · mark

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. track — to keep track
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — a path
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stem — to come from
  11. mark — a grade
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rash — hasty
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pit — in a race
  17. mark — a trace
  18. track — a song
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rash — a series
  24. hide — to keep secret

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