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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: wind · charge · lie · staff · nail · patient · calf · bear

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. charge — in control
  3. bear — the animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bear — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wind — moving air
  11. charge — electricity
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. staff — employees
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. charge — a price
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — an untruth

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