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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: suit · net · straw · patient · court · hand · bulb · calf

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. net — in sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. court — of a king
  6. hand — help
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. suit — clothes
  9. hand — in cards
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bulb — for light

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