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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: bulb · net · suit · stock · calf · key · face · lean

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. face — to confront
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bulb — for light
  9. net — in sport
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. key — for a lock
  12. net — after costs
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stock — goods
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. key — in music
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bulb — for light
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lean — thin

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