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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: kid · wax · bulb · calf · lean · court · patient · staff

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. kid — child
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. court — of law
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. court — for sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. court — of a king
  12. lean — thin
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. staff — a stick
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lean — to bend
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. staff — employees
  23. kid — to tease
  24. lean — to rest against

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