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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 116 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 · ball · racket · shower · coach · stock · stem · suit

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. shower — to wash
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stock — shares
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stock — goods
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stem — to come from
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ball — a great time
  20. suit — in cards
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. coach — a trainer

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