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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stock — goods
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stock — shares
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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