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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 116 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.

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 · plane · pop · row · object · racket · calf · mark

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. object — a thing
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mark — a grade
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pop — music
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. object — to protest
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mark — a trace
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. plane — a tool
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. object — an aim
  23. row — a line
  24. racket — for tennis

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