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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.

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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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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: staff · wave · mark · saw · pit · content · patient · calf

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. staff — employees
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. saw — the tool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. staff — employees
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. content — happy
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. content — the amount
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — a trace

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