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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: foot · stock · can · stick · season · bat · calf · bear

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. season — in sport
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. can — to be able to
  6. stock — shares
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bear — the animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. season — of the year
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. can — a tin
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. stock — goods
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bat — the animal

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