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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: kick · bear · patient · calf · stock · track · club · wave

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. kick — in football
  3. track — a path
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stock — goods
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. club — for golf
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stock — shares
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. club — a group
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. track — to keep track
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — a thrill

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