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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: calf · stock · hide · net · tube · key · band · coach

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stock — goods
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — the most important part
  9. tube — a container
  10. net — in sport
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stock — shares
  15. key — for a lock
  16. band — a music group
  17. tube — the underground
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. band — a ring
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. key — in music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — after costs

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