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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: board · degree · bear · rock · bat · stock · calf · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. board — a committee
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bat — the animal
  15. board — to get on
  16. degree — temperature
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. degree — an amount
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. degree — from a university

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