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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: patient · straw · cold · suit · can · swing · calf · firm

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. firm — a company
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. can — a tin
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. can — a tin
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — clothes
  13. swing — in golf
  14. firm — decided
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cold — not warm
  17. swing — to play on
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. swing — music
  20. cold — an illness
  21. firm — steady
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. straw — a straw man

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