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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
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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: rest · coach · arm · straw · calf · stock · roll · trunk

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rest — a break
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. roll — a cake
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. rest — what's left
  15. roll — a list
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stock — shares
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. trunk — of a tree

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