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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 120 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: bowl · calf · stock · fork · kid · net · cap · charge

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fork — in a road
  6. net — for catching
  7. cap — of ice
  8. kid — child
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. kid — to tease
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cap — a lid
  17. net — in sport
  18. cap — a hat
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. stock — goods
  21. net — after costs
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. stock — shares

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