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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
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: bay · fall · object · bark · jam · sharp · patient · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. sharp — clever
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bark — to shout
  8. fall — to drop
  9. object — a thing
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. object — to protest
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. fall — the season
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. object — an aim
  21. fall — to drop
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. sharp — with an edge

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