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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 120 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
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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: pitcher · patient · kid · calf · branch · stock · bear · safe

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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. branch — a division
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stock — goods
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. kid — child
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stock — shares
  24. kid — to tease

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