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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: bark · stock · rest · spring · deal · wave · calf · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stock — shares
  5. spring — the season
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bark — to shout
  12. spring — of water
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stock — goods
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. fine — all right
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rest — a break
  24. deal — a big deal

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