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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: spell · patient · pop · stick · roll · calf · season · track

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. track — a path
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. roll — a list
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. spell — magic
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. season — of the year
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. spell — letters
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. roll — a cake
  19. track — a song
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. spell — a short time
  23. track — to keep track
  24. calf — a young animal

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