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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 116 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: stock · plane · racket · file · pop · chip · wake · calf

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pop — soda
  10. chip — for betting
  11. file — a document
  12. stock — shares
  13. wake — a trail
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chip — to eat
  16. file — a line of people
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. pop — to visit
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. file — a tool

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