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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: snap · present · leaves · calf · patient · arm · mark · mate

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. mate — a friend
  4. present — there
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. present — a gift
  9. mark — a grade
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. present — the time now
  13. mate — to breed
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. snap — to click
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mark — a trace
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. leaves — of a tree

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