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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: patient · key · wave · deal · row · spell · cue · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. spell — a short time
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. deal — to handle
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cue — a hint
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. row — to paddle
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spell — letters
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. cue — a signal
  22. row — a line
  23. spell — magic
  24. wave — of the sea

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