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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: calf · rest · mark · patient · stand · nail · tube · wave

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tube — a container
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rest — what's left
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mark — a trace
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stand — to bear
  17. tube — the underground
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stand — on your feet

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