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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.

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 · straw · object · lie · rush · swing · calf · present

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. present — there
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. present — a gift
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lie — to recline
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. object — a thing
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. object — an aim
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — to protest
  17. present — the time now
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. swing — music
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rush — hurry

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