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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 116 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 · leaves · hand · lean · calf · wind · deal · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — in cards
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wind — moving air
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. wind — moving air
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lean — thin
  17. deal — to handle
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. hand — help

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