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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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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: arm · club · race · stem · rule · patient · calf · kick

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. club — a group
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rule — a law
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. race — a contest
  19. club — for golf
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stem — to come from
  22. kick — in football
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rule — government

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