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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: hide · rock · swing · pound · stock · bulb · row · calf

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. swing — music
  5. rock — music
  6. stock — goods
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. swing — in golf
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. swing — to play on
  21. row — a line
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. rock — a stone
  24. calf — a young animal

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