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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: lie · patient · bay · staff · deal · club · shower · calf

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. club — a group
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. shower — rain
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. club — for dancing
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — to wash
  16. lie — to recline
  17. club — for golf
  18. staff — employees
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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