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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: sharp · season · vault · stick · pass · patient · calf · kid

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. kid — child
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. kid — to tease
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. vault — a safe
  13. sharp — clever
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. pass — a permit

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