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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: patient · chip · trunk · suit · wax · stock · rock · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chip — for betting
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wax — to grow
  6. stock — goods
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. stock — shares
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rock — music
  23. chip — to eat
  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