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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: staff · mark · ruler · fall · lean · patient · content · calf

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. content — happy
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. lean — to bend
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fall — to drop
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. content — the amount
  11. staff — employees
  12. lean — thin
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fall — the season
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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