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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.

Make a worksheet

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: patient · cap · ball · mine · wound · calf · bowl · staff

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. staff — employees
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cap — of ice
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. ball — a great time

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