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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 120 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: wind · suit · foot · chip · calf · straw · stock · rush

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rush — hurry
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wind — moving air
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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