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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 116 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 · plane · calf · mug · band · pitcher · spell · can

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. spell — letters
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. can — to be able to
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mug — a cup
  15. can — a tin
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — a face
  18. plane — a tool
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. band — a ring
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. band — a music group

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