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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.

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

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. cap — a hat
  4. craft — a skill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cap — of ice
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. craft — boats
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rock — music
  13. shower — to wash
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. shower — rain
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cap — a lid
  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