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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: calf · rest · bowl · patient · sharp · stand · wave · rule

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stand — to bear
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rule — a law
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rest — a break
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rule — government
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rule — to rule out

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