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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 120 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: patient · stick · pass · drill · calf · wave · racket · hand

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. drill — the tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. hand — help
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. hand — in cards
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. drill — army training
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. drill — a practice
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pass — a permit

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