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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · track · stock · firm · cue · calf

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. track — to keep track
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cue — for pool
  6. firm — steady
  7. rest — a break
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. track — a song
  13. firm — decided
  14. stock — shares
  15. track — a path
  16. cue — a hint
  17. firm — a company
  18. stock — a soup base

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