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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 · fine · firm · present · object · stock · calf · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. firm — decided
  4. rest — what's left
  5. present — a gift
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. object — a thing
  8. stock — shares
  9. lie — to recline
  10. firm — steady
  11. rest — what's left
  12. object — an aim
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. object — to protest
  15. present — the time now
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. firm — a company
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fine — all right
  20. stock — goods
  21. fine — high quality
  22. present — there
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rest — a break

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