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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 124 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: calf · stock · stick · degree · bore · ruler

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. degree — an amount
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bore — to drill
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. degree — from a university
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bore — to tire
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stock — goods

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