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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 · stem · leaves · sharp · calf · straw · lash · can

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. can — to be able to
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. sharp — clever
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. calf — of the leg

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