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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: foot · stock · calf · ground · suit · hide · spell · straw

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ground — the earth
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. spell — magic
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stock — shares
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — in cards
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ground — a position
  15. suit — to fit
  16. spell — letters
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stock — goods
  19. ground — crushed
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. foot — a measure
  24. straw — dry grass

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