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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · ball · calf · toast · stock · mouse · deal · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stock — goods
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bat — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. root — of a word
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. deal — to handle
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. stock — shares
  22. toast — bread
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. ball — a great time

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