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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: calf · capital · ruler · stock · object · stick · racket · leaves

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. object — a thing
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. capital — a city
  7. object — to protest
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. capital — money
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. object — an aim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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