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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.

Make a worksheet

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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. land — a country
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. craft — boats
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. saw — the tool
  19. land — to come down
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. land — ground
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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