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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: wake · stand · chip · patient · pitcher · calf · content · fan

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. content — happy
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chip — for betting
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. content — the amount
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. calf — a young animal

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