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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: stock · calf · bound · bulb · stem · board · pitcher · net

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. net — in sport
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bound — obliged
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. board — a committee
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bound — tied together
  20. board — to get on
  21. stock — shares
  22. bound — certain
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stock — goods

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