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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 · nail · toast · stock · dip · straw · hand · stand

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. dip — to sink
  15. toast — bread
  16. stock — shares
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. hand — help
  24. stand — to bear

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