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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: squash · safe · stock · present · file · calf · trunk · bore

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. file — a tool
  4. stock — goods
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. present — a gift
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bore — to drill
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stock — shares
  16. file — a document
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bore — to tire
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. stock — a soup base

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