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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: spell · band · rush · can · net · calf · suit · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. net — after costs
  3. band — a music group
  4. suit — in cards
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spell — letters
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. net — for catching
  9. can — a tin
  10. rush — hurry
  11. can — to be able to
  12. suit — to fit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. net — in sport
  16. spell — a short time
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. suit — clothes
  19. band — a ring
  20. spell — magic
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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