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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: kick · calf · kid · mouse · rush · deal · mate · patient

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. kick — in football
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mate — a friend
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. deal — to handle
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mate — a partner
  16. kid — child
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rush — hurry
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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