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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: roll · ball · saw · club · file · calf · stock · dip

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. club — for dancing
  8. stock — shares
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. club — a group
  15. roll — a list
  16. stock — goods
  17. club — for golf
  18. roll — a cake
  19. ball — a dance
  20. file — a document
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. ball — a great time
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. roll — on a roll

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