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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: stock · game · bass · bowl · leaves · calf · tube · firm

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stock — goods
  7. tube — a container
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. game — wild animals
  10. firm — decided
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. firm — a company
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. game — a match
  22. firm — steady
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stock — shares

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