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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. firm — a company
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ball — a dance
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. band — a ring
  15. firm — decided
  16. rush — hurry
  17. firm — steady
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. band — a music group

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