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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: mug · patient · track · game · hide · calf · board · wax

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mug — to rob
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. board — a committee
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mug — a face
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mug — a cup
  17. board — to get on
  18. wax — to grow
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. track — a path
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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