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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.

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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: prune · kick · calf · patient · rule · staff · scale · lash

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. staff — employees
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. prune — to trim
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. prune — to trim
  14. scale — in music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rule — government
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rule — a law
  19. staff — employees
  20. kick — in football
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lash — to lash out

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