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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · chip · saw · object · suit · calf · arm · stem

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stem — to come from
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. suit — in cards
  5. object — an aim
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. object — to protest
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. saw — the tool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. saw — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bear — the animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. arm — a part of something

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