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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.

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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 · squash · stand · stock · present · prune · straw · deal

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stand — to bear
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. squash — the sport
  10. stock — goods
  11. squash — to crush
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. present — there
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stock — shares

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