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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: cold · net · rest · firm · stock · season · calf · safe

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. season — of the year
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stock — goods
  5. cold — not warm
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. net — for catching
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rest — what's left
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. net — in sport
  14. stock — shares
  15. rest — a break
  16. season — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. firm — a company
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — decided
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. firm — steady
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cold — an illness

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