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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. cell — a phone
  3. craft — a skill
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cell — in biology
  6. track — a song
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ball — a great time
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. track — a path
  16. suit — clothes
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. craft — boats
  24. stem — to come from

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