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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 120 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: bore · band · calf · stock · racket · rule · cabinet · bark

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rule — a law
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stock — goods
  9. band — a music group
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bore — to tire
  15. band — a ring
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rule — government
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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