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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 120 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: rush · fan · pop · stand · stock · calf · racket · firm

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. firm — decided
  4. stock — shares
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rush — hurry
  11. firm — a company
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pop — soda
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. firm — steady
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stock — goods
  24. stand — on your feet

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