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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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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 · temple · calf · kick · straw · rule

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kick — in football
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. straw — to clutch at straws

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