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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 116 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: stock · lie · mark · suit · court · cell · wave · calf

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mark — a grade
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cell — in biology
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cell — a phone
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stock — goods
  15. mark — a trace
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. court — of a king
  19. stock — shares
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. suit — clothes

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