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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: board · calf · stock · spring · wake · object · pass · safe

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stock — goods
  6. wake — a trail
  7. spring — a coil
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. object — to protest
  11. pass — a permit
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. spring — of water
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. board — a committee
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. object — an aim
  22. stock — shares
  23. object — a thing
  24. spring — the season

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