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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. press — newspapers
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mark — a trace
  12. press — a publisher
  13. craft — boats
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. press — to push
  16. craft — a skill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. club — for dancing
  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