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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
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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 · rock · squash · toast · lean · pitch · stock · bore

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. toast — bread
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rock — music
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stock — shares
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stock — goods
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. lean — thin
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bore — to tire
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lean — to bend
  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