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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: stock · calf · straw · face · arm · rule · shower · mouse

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stock — goods
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. face — to confront
  6. rule — government
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. shower — rain
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. shower — to wash
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stock — shares
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rule — a law
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. arm — part of the body

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