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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: calf · foot · row · tube · racket · patient · bore · game

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. game — a match
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tube — the underground
  11. game — wild animals
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bore — to drill
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. tube — a container
  18. bore — to tire
  19. row — a line
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. row — to paddle
  24. foot — the bottom

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