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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 · kick · staff · calf · rule · safe · wound · hand

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stock — goods
  5. staff — employees
  6. hand — help
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wound — an injury
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. kick — in football
  12. rule — government
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rule — a law
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. staff — employees
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. stock — shares
  24. hand — in cards

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