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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: stock · calf · bear · lash · mark · field · press · straw

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. field — farmland
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bear — the animal
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. field — for sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. stock — shares
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stock — goods
  18. field — a subject
  19. bear — the animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mark — a grade

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