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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 120 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: dip · fine · mouse · calf · patient · track · deal · last

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. track — a song
  18. last — final
  19. track — a path
  20. last — to go on
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. last — finally
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fine — a penalty

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