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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: calf · patient · foot · racket · fine · staff · lean · cold

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. fine — high quality
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. lean — thin
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. staff — employees
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. staff — employees
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cold — not warm
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fine — all right
  19. foot — a measure
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lean — to bend
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. patient — a sick person

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