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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: toast · bat · rock · stock · calf · file · bay · firm

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. file — a document
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. firm — steady
  12. rock — a stone
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bat — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. stock — goods
  18. toast — bread
  19. stock — shares
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. file — a tool
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. file — a line of people

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