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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.

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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: calf · tear · row · rush · patient · board · bear · pit

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. board — to get on
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bear — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. tear — to rip
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bear — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pit — a hole
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pit — in a race

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