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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. club — for dancing
  3. craft — a skill
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. suit — clothes
  7. snap — to click
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. band — a ring
  10. rule — government
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. club — for golf
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. wake — a trail
  15. craft — boats
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. suit — in cards
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. band — a music group
  21. club — a group
  22. rule — a law
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. suit — to fit

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