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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 116 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. craft — a skill
  6. net — for catching
  7. firm — decided
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. firm — steady
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. net — in sport
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. net — after costs
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. plane — a tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. firm — a company
  24. plane — in geometry

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