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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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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: mark · object · foot · patient · roll · racket · calf · degree

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mark — a grade
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. object — to protest
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. object — a thing
  10. degree — from a university
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. roll — a list
  13. degree — an amount
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — a cake
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — a trace
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. degree — temperature
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. object — an aim

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