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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: stock · current · calf · coach · safe · straw · bulb · content

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. current — of water
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. content — the amount
  10. stock — goods
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. current — electric
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. current — happening now
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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