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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: cold · bore · mouse · calf · fan · fine · suit · stock

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stock — goods
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cold — not warm
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cold — an illness
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fine — all right
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stock — shares
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bore — gave birth

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