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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: ball · dip · rush · stock · bat · rest · bear · calf

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stock — shares
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rest — a break
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bear — the animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stock — goods
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. dip — a sauce

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