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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. tube — the underground
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. tube — a container
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. craft — boats
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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