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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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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: chest · fan · content · kick · calf · stem · rule · bank

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. bank — for money
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rule — government
  8. content — the amount
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chest — of your body
  11. kick — in football
  12. bank — for money
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bank — of a river
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stem — to come from
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. chest — a box
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rule — a law

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