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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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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: present · content · stock · lean · wake · toast · calf · ball

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stock — shares
  3. content — the amount
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — happy
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. present — there
  16. wake — a trail
  17. present — a gift
  18. stock — goods
  19. lean — to bend
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. present — the time now
  24. ball — a great time

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