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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: present · date · stem · stock · stick · calf · arm · root

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stock — goods
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. root — of a plant
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — a gift
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. present — the time now
  13. root — the cause
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. present — there
  18. root — of a word
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stock — shares
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. date — on the calendar

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