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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: lean · squash · calf · stock · rest · mate · root · coach

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rest — a break
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stock — shares
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. root — of a word
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. lean — thin
  12. squash — to crush
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. stock — goods
  17. mate — a partner
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mate — a friend
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mate — to breed
  24. root — the cause

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