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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · bat · stock · calf · stick · craft · bank · can

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bank — for money
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stock — goods
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cue — for pool
  11. craft — boats
  12. can — a tin
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. can — a tin
  18. bank — for money
  19. stock — shares
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  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