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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: mug · stock · staff · track · calf · lean · object · pound

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. object — an aim
  4. mug — to rob
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. track — a song
  7. staff — employees
  8. track — to keep track
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — thin
  12. object — to protest
  13. stock — goods
  14. object — a thing
  15. track — a path
  16. mug — a cup
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pound — a weight
  20. stock — shares
  21. lean — to bend
  22. staff — employees
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. mug — a face

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