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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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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: calf · land · date · stem · fine · object · rash · suit

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — a country
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fine — all right
  13. land — ground
  14. object — a thing
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fine — high quality
  21. object — to protest
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. object — an aim

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