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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: stick · rest · calf · date · pitch · object · trunk · stock

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stock — shares
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. object — to protest
  8. stock — goods
  9. object — a thing
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitch — completely
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. date — the fruit

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