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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 116 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: stem · safe · calf · board · trunk · bear · row · stick

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — a line
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. board — to get on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. board — a committee
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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