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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · pit · pop · fork · stock · safe · ball · wave

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stock — shares
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. ball — a great time
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pop — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stock — goods
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pop — to visit
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pop — soda
  24. pit — in a race

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