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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.

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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: straw · lie · pound · rock · patient · calf · land · mate

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. land — ground
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. lie — to recline
  12. land — to come down
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. land — a country
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mate — a friend
  24. patient — a sick person

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