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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: shower · bank · present · calf · patient · drill · wave · suit

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. suit — to fit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. drill — army training
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. shower — rain
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. present — a gift
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. drill — a practice
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. suit — in cards
  20. present — there
  21. drill — the tool
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. present — the time now
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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