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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. present — the time now
  6. craft — a skill
  7. present — there
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. present — a gift
  11. craft — boats
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. mine — for digging
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mine — an explosive

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