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

Word bank: patient · lash · calf · track · swing · bay · chip · file

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. track — to keep track
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. swing — in golf
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. file — a document
  13. swing — music
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. track — a path
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. file — a line of people
  21. chip — for betting
  22. swing — to play on
  23. track — a song
  24. file — a tool

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