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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 · squash · charge · stem · bat · chest · saw · bowl

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. saw — the tool
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stem — to come from
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. squash — the sport
  19. saw — the tool
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. charge — a price
  24. calf — of the leg

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