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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
468
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 · cabinet · bat · wound · stock · cell · ball · kick

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bat — the animal
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stock — goods
  16. kick — in football
  17. wound — an injury
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stock — shares
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stock — a soup base

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