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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
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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: bat · date · arm · bear · stock · calf · mate · dip

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. stock — shares
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bat — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. stock — goods
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bear — the animal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. date — the fruit

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