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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: calf · mark · wax · bound · hand · patient · bay · lean

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lean — thin
  6. mark — a trace
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bound — obliged
  9. hand — in cards
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mark — a grade
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bound — certain
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. hand — help
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wax — for sculpting

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