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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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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 · row · wake · pit · swing · object · bear · stem

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. object — to protest
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. row — a line
  6. bear — the animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pit — a hole
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. object — an aim
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — a thing
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. stem — to come from
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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