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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: chest · bulb · calf · ruler · bear · court · wave · stock

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. court — of a king
  3. stock — goods
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chest — a box
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stock — shares
  9. court — for sport
  10. chest — of your body
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. court — of law
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chest — of your body
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bulb — for light
  24. calf — a young animal

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