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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. lean — thin
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. can — to be able to
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. lean — to bend
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. cue — a hint

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