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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stock — shares
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cap — a hat
  7. band — a ring
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a lid
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. object — to protest
  15. rest — what's left
  16. band — a music group
  17. object — a thing
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. object — an aim
  24. cabinet — ministers

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