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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 120 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 · degree · foot · stock · arm · wound · stick · rash

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. degree — from a university
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rash — hasty
  17. stock — shares
  18. degree — an amount
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rash — a series
  22. degree — temperature
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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