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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.

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: stick · suit · calf · jam · stock · tear · degree · rash

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. tear — from crying
  4. suit — clothes
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — hasty
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rash — a series
  10. tear — from crying
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stock — goods
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. degree — an amount
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. degree — temperature
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tear — to rip
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stock — shares
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. suit — in cards

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