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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: bulb · cold · charge · tube · hide · calf · patient · cue

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cold — not warm
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. tube — a container
  18. cold — an illness
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. charge — electricity

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