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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
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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: fine · chest · calf · racket · lash · rush · patient · fan

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fine — all right
  8. chest — a box
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. chest — of your body
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. chest — of your body
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rush — hurry

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