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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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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 · calf · staff · wake · deal · mouse · cap · branch

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. branch — a division
  3. cap — a hat
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cap — a lid
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stock — goods
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. stock — shares
  16. staff — employees
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cap — of ice
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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