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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: bat · suit · patient · mate · stock · calf · wake · lie

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stock — shares
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mate — a friend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — in cards
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bat — the animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mate — a partner
  21. suit — to fit
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — to recline

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