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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: bore · wave · stock · object · calf · root · saw · cell

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stock — goods
  4. object — an aim
  5. stock — shares
  6. object — a thing
  7. bore — to tire
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. root — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. root — of a word
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cell — a phone
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cell — in biology
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. object — to protest
  20. saw — the tool
  21. root — the cause
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bore — gave birth

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