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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pop — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — boats
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cold — an illness
  8. pop — soda
  9. squash — the sport
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — a skill
  16. suit — to fit
  17. squash — to crush
  18. pop — to visit
  19. cold — not warm
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. pitch — completely
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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