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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · ball · calf · fork · face · bore · cue · stem

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stem — to come from
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fine — all right
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. fine — high quality
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — to confront
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bore — to tire
  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