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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · chip · rash · wound · mug · patient · content · swing

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rash — a series
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. chip — to eat
  6. swing — to play on
  7. content — the amount
  8. mug — a face
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mug — to rob
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. swing — music
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mug — a cup
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rash — hasty
  23. swing — in golf
  24. wound — an injury

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