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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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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: key · craft · press · cell · cap · calf · tear · stem

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. press — a publisher
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cap — of ice
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cell — in biology
  9. key — the most important part
  10. tear — from crying
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. stem — to come from
  14. press — newspapers
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. press — to push
  24. cap — a lid

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