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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: pass · rock · hide · patient · deal · calf · bowl · court

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pass — a permit
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. court — of law
  9. deal — to handle
  10. court — for sport
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rock — music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. court — of a king
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. hide — to keep secret

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