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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: deal · calf · chip · stem · bear · perch · lean · kick

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. lean — to bend
  3. deal — to handle
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. chip — to eat
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stem — to come from
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lean — thin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. kick — in football
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bear — the animal

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