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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: staff · scale · fork · patient · charge · calf · shower · cell

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. scale — in music
  9. shower — rain
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. staff — a stick
  13. shower — to wash
  14. cell — in biology
  15. scale — size or range
  16. fork — in a road
  17. cell — a phone
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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