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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 120 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: hand · calf · pass · snap · plane · spell · patient · board

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — to get on
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. spell — letters
  10. board — a committee
  11. hand — in cards
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pass — a permit
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hand — help
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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