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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: patient · swing · pitch · foot · capital · hand · charge · calf

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hand — in cards
  4. swing — music
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. capital — a city
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. hand — help
  12. foot — a measure
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. capital — money
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. charge — in control
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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