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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: march · file · stock · arm · bear · calf · charge · stand

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. stock — shares
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. charge — electricity
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bear — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. march — the month
  12. file — a document
  13. march — music
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. charge — in control
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. file — a tool
  18. stock — goods
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bear — the animal

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