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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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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: ruler · wind · bulb · calf · hand · patient · fall · racket

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wind — moving air
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — in cards
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fall — the season
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. hand — help
  24. racket — a loud noise

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