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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: pass · net · bay · calf · ball · game · fine · stock

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stock — shares
  5. net — after costs
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. game — wild animals
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — all right
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fine — high quality
  18. game — a match
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stock — goods
  23. ball — a great time
  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