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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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · face · calf · fine · can · stock · toast · root

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. face — to confront
  3. can — to be able to
  4. toast — bread
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stock — goods
  7. root — of a plant
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fine — high quality
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. can — a tin
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. stock — shares
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. root — of a word
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. face — part of the head
  20. can — a tin
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. fine — all right
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. root — the cause

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