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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 · club · lash · toast · squash · mark · calf · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. squash — the sport
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. mark — a grade
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. toast — bread
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. squash — to crush
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. club — a group
  24. mark — to pay attention

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