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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · pit · sharp · jam · fall · swing · mug · calf

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. swing — to play on
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. fall — the season
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mug — a cup
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fall — to drop
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mug — a face
  19. pit — a hole
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mug — to rob
  23. swing — music
  24. pit — in a race

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