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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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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bound — certain
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. file — a tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. craft — boats
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. file — a document
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fork — in a road
  24. lash — to lash out

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