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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: calf · stem · leaves · cold · fall · rock · craft · charge

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. craft — boats
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fall — to drop
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rock — music
  12. cold — not warm
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cold — an illness
  19. rock — a stone
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. charge — in control
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. calf — of the leg

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