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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 · hand · cap · race · wake · calf · mouse · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. race — humankind
  3. cap — a lid
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wake — a trail
  9. hand — help
  10. race — a contest
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cap — of ice
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cap — a hat
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. hand — part of the body

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