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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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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: cue · ball · patient · arm · calf · stick · rest · stem

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cue — a hint
  3. stem — to come from
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rest — what's left
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rest — a break
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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