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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: stem · tube · calf · bulb · mug · march · season · lie

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lie — to recline
  6. march — the month
  7. tube — a container
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mug — to rob
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bulb — for light
  19. march — the month
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. march — music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. calf — a young 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