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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: mouse · patient · present · saw · firm · dip · rush · calf

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. firm — decided
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. present — the time now
  9. firm — a company
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. present — there
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. dip — to sink
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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