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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · calf · stock · track · tube · straw · cabinet · toast

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stock — goods
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. toast — bread
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. tube — the underground
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stock — shares
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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