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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · calf · patient · nail · game · spring · club · toast

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. spring — of water
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. game — wild animals
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — a group
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. club — for dancing
  20. spring — the season
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. toast — bread
  23. game — a match
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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