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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: leaves · patient · mouse · lean · calf · ball · rash · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rash — hasty
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rash — a series
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lean — to bend

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