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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: stem · calf · board · lie · rock · wound · shower · cap

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cap — a lid
  7. shower — to wash
  8. wound — an injury
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. cap — of ice
  12. shower — rain
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. cap — a hat
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rock — music
  20. board — a committee
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rock — a stone
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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