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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.

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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: patient · mouse · fine · tube · land · swing · rock · calf

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. swing — to play on
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fine — all right
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. land — a country
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. fine — high quality
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rock — a stone
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. calf — of the leg

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