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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: date · stock · calf · foot · lie · bat · field · mark

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stock — goods
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mark — a grade
  7. field — for sport
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. field — a subject
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. stock — shares
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bat — the animal
  21. field — farmland
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. foot — part of the body

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