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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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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 · pit · stock · fine · toast · stick · wind · court

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. court — for sport
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. stock — shares
  8. fine — all right
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. court — of law
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wind — moving air
  19. court — of a king
  20. pit — in a race
  21. toast — bread
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fine — high quality

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