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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: hand · patient · stick · foot · mate · arm · wake · calf

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — a measure
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wake — a trail
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hand — in cards
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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