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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.

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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rest — what's left
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. degree — an amount
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. suit — clothes
  8. degree — from a university
  9. stock — goods
  10. rest — a break
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. degree — temperature
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. suit — in cards
  15. can — a tin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. suit — to fit
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. arm — part of the body

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