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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · roll · mine · patient · can · cue · rock · calf

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mine — for digging
  5. roll — a cake
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. can — a tin
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. can — a tin
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. roll — a list
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. row — to paddle
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. calf — a young animal
  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