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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 120 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: suit · stem · land · game · calf · sharp · board · trunk

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — in cards
  6. sharp — clever
  7. board — to get on
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. game — a match
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. land — to come down
  13. board — a committee
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. suit — to fit
  19. land — a country
  20. suit — clothes
  21. land — ground
  22. game — wild animals
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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