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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: firm · board · calf · can · suit · wind · fan · stock

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. can — a tin
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. board — a committee
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wind — moving air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. suit — to fit
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. can — a tin
  20. stock — goods
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. firm — decided

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