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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 · perch · stock · can · mine · wave · leaves · bulb

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. can — to be able to
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. can — a tin
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bulb — for light
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stock — goods
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. stock — shares

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