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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 · wind · tear · racket · calf · trunk · swing · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. tear — to rip
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. swing — music
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rest — a break
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stock — goods
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. swing — to play on
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. tear — from crying
  22. wind — moving air
  23. tear — from crying
  24. wind — moving air

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