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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: key · stock · calf · arm · stand · spell · bark · saw

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. spell — letters
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. key — in music
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bark — to shout
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. stock — goods
  14. spell — magic
  15. stock — shares
  16. saw — the tool
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. saw — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. spell — a short time
  22. stand — to bear
  23. key — for a lock
  24. arm — part of the body

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