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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 120 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: stock · press · racket · board · lash · mate · bowl · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. press — a publisher
  5. mate — a friend
  6. board — to get on
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mate — a partner
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. board — a committee
  12. mate — to breed
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. press — to push
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stock — goods
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. press — newspapers

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