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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 · wax · bear · jam · calf · shower · drill · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stock — shares
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. wax — to grow
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. object — an aim
  13. shower — rain
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — a practice
  17. shower — to wash
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. object — to protest
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. stock — goods

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