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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: stock · rock · calf · fine · object · file · band · drill

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. drill — the tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. file — a document
  5. stock — goods
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fine — high quality
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. file — a tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. file — a line of people
  16. fine — all right
  17. object — a thing
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. drill — a practice
  21. stock — shares
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rock — music
  24. object — an aim

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