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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — boats
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. present — there
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bound — certain
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. deal — to handle
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bound — tied together
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bound — obliged
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. patient — a sick person

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