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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: rock · firm · wax · calf · rush · patient · foot · sharp

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. sharp — clever
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rush — hurry
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. firm — steady
  13. rock — music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. firm — a company
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. firm — decided
  24. foot — a measure

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