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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: calf · can · ball · band · stock · fall · court · safe

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. court — of law
  4. can — to be able to
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. can — a tin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. court — for sport
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. fall — the season
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — shares
  18. fall — to drop
  19. band — a ring
  20. court — of a king
  21. band — a music group
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fall — to drop
  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