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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · plane · calf · mug · band · pitcher

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. plane — a tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mug — a face
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. band — a ring
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. band — a music group
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mug — a cup

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