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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
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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: staff · pitcher · hide · swing · patient · date · calf · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. swing — in golf
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. staff — employees
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. season — of the year
  15. swing — to play on
  16. staff — a stick
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. date — the fruit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. staff — employees
  24. swing — music

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