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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: saw · pit · snap · lean · bound · foot · calf · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pit — in a race
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pit — a hole
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. saw — the tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. saw — the tool
  15. snap — to click
  16. lean — thin
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bound — obliged
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bound — certain
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. calf — a young animal

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