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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 ball is in your ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. court — for sport
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. court — of law
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. cue — for pool
  7. stock — shares
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. wake — a trail
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stock — goods
  14. court — of a king
  15. cue — a signal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cue — a hint

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