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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: cap · ground · file · roll · stock · mark · calf · dip

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cap — a lid
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. dip — to sink
  7. ground — a position
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stock — goods
  10. ground — crushed
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. ground — the earth
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mark — a grade
  15. roll — a cake
  16. file — a document
  17. cap — a hat
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. cap — of ice
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. roll — a list
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. mark — a trace
  24. stock — shares

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