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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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · fine · stem · bear · calf · march · wave · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stem — to come from
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. game — a match
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bear — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — to recline
  15. march — the month
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. march — the month
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fine — high quality
  20. march — music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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