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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: stock · suit · drill · calf · foot · game · bound · straw

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. game — a match
  4. bound — tied together
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. suit — to fit
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. drill — army training
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stock — goods
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. stock — shares
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. drill — a practice
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. game — wild animals
  21. suit — in cards
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. drill — the tool
  24. calf — a young animal

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