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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: patient · plane · swing · calf · pit · stem · hand · mug

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pit — in a race
  5. swing — to play on
  6. mug — a cup
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — music
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. swing — in golf
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. hand — help
  16. pit — a hole
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stem — to come from
  24. hand — in cards

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