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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: dip · leaves · stock · calf · bark · court · firm · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stock — goods
  4. firm — decided
  5. court — of law
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. court — for sport
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. firm — steady
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. court — of a king
  17. firm — a company
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stock — shares
  22. bark — to shout
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bark — of a tree

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