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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: game · net · calf · foot · stem · wave · saw · mug

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. net — after costs
  4. mug — to rob
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mug — a face
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. stem — to come from
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. game — wild animals
  21. foot — a measure
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wave — with your hand

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