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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: calf · net · stock · chip · court · stick · wake · rest

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. court — for sport
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rest — a break
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. court — of law
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. stock — shares
  17. chip — for betting
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. rest — what's left
  22. net — in sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. stock — goods

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