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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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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: racket · club · hide · patient · calf · object · fall · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. object — an aim
  4. club — for golf
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. object — a thing
  8. fall — the season
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fall — to drop
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. club — a group
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. object — to protest
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fall — to drop
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. club — for dancing

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