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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: swing · calf · rest · patient · racket · toast

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. toast — bread
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rest — what's left
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rest — what's left
  15. swing — music
  16. rest — a break
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. racket — for tennis

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