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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — boats
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. craft — a skill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — in cards
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. craft — a handicraft

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