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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: patient · swing · tube · suit · bank · calf · bay · tear

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tear — from crying
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tear — to rip
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. suit — clothes
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bank — for money
  17. suit — to fit
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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