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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 116 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
468
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 · key · mine · content · rash · rock · nail · calf

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rock — music
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rash — a series
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. content — happy
  18. content — the amount
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — for a lock

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