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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: pass · calf · prune · stock · kid · sharp · safe · fan

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. kid — to tease
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. kid — child
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stock — goods
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pass — to spend time

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