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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 120 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: leaves · tear · pitcher · stem · calf · kid · suit · hide

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. tear — from crying
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kid — child
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. tear — to rip
  12. kid — to tease
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — in cards
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stem — to come from
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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