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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: rock · squash · object · calf · bulb · stock · degree · staff

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stock — goods
  4. rock — music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. staff — employees
  9. rock — a stone
  10. degree — an amount
  11. object — an aim
  12. stock — shares
  13. degree — from a university
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. object — a thing
  16. degree — temperature
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. squash — to crush
  22. object — to protest
  23. bulb — for light
  24. calf — a young 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