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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
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: patient · calf · staff · trunk · swing · bark · fan · chip

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bark — to shout
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chip — for betting
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. swing — to play on
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. swing — in golf
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chip — to eat

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