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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: ball · calf · shower · lie · patient · wound · firm · leaves

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ball — a great time
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lie — to recline
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. firm — decided
  8. ball — a dance
  9. shower — rain
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. shower — to wash
  15. firm — steady
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. firm — a company
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. calf — a young animal

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