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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: stand · leaves · band · calf · mark · suit · wake · stock

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stock — goods
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stock — shares
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. band — a music group
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. band — a ring

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